This week I found myself impressed by the story of Ambre Boroughs, the woman who successfully used Craigslist to track down her laptop after it was stolen from her checked baggage. Back in March, Boroughs took advantage of Southwest’s “Bags Fly Free” campaign on a crowded return flight from Chicago to her hometown of Charleston, S.C., but says was not aware the airline’s policy is to not be responsible for computers. She packed her laptop inside her suitcase and checked in the luggage. When she discovered the computer was missing from her suitcase and that she had little recourse with the airline, she searched Chicago’s Craigslist for the same laptop model and recognized a sticker she’d placed on her computer in a “for sale” listing. She contacted law enforcement officials, who recovered her stolen laptop as well as other electronic devices stolen from other passengers. I think Ambre’s story provides us with several lessons which can help prevent theft of electronic devices. For example, always personalize your laptop or tablet in some way. A small, tasteful sticker will do the trick. But one of the most effective ways to protect your mobile electronic devices is to use tracking software. I highly recommend exploring a free device tracking solution called Prey. It’s available for a wide array of operating systems and devices. It’s easy to use, and once you set it up, you can forget about it unless tragedy strikes. Norton also offers anti-theft protection (for a fee). A famous tracking app for Macs is Hidden, which resulted in a well-documented (and highly entertaining) retrieval of a stolen MacBook earlier this year. Given how many cheap and free options are available, tracking protection is something every mobile device owner should explore. Patty Mahlon, director of digital media