Ohio lawmakers are considering legislation that would make stealing a cell phone, computer, laptop or tablet a felony offense.

Many Ohioans carry laptops, tablets or smart phones that contain banking information, health data, extensive contact lists and other sensitive data that if stolen could wreak havoc in short order.

This legislation comes on the heels of a law change in 2011 that changed the threshold for felony theft from $500 to $1,000 so stealing this sort of hardware is now generally a misdemeanor.

Advocates for the bill say making it a felony would heighten police attention to the crimes and impose stiffer penalties.

“According to law enforcement, it is increasing — I wouldn’t say exponentially but it’s definitely a bad trend because these are all over the place. They are selling these, shipping them off to other countries for salvage values of $100, $150,” said state Sen. Jim Hughes, R-Columbus, who is sponsoring Senate Bill 63. “It’s just one of the new crimes that is overtaking everything.”

State Sen. Peggy Lehner, R-Kettering, speaks from experience. Her iPad and personal computer were stolen from her home on Feb. 25 during a burglary. She said her son had installed applications to allow him to work remotely on the devices. He was able to trace the location of the computer to an apartment in Cincinnati and send a message to the iPad announcing it had been stolen, she said.

Police recovered the computer but the iPad is still missing, she said.

“No arrests have been made and I suspect it might be because this is considered just a misdemeanor as far as they’re concerned,” Lehner said.

Computers and tablets often contain business-related data that is far more valuable than the hardware, she said.

Hughes said four-digit passwords don’t always protect sensitive data since widely available computer applications can crack those codes in 90 seconds and tracking applications only work when the devices are on. Some of the trackers don’t give precise locations — just a building or area.

Lehner said she isn’t sure that stealing a cell phone should be a felony offense. “It’s so easy to see a cell phone on the seat of a bus and picking it up and taking it that I’m not sure that person should be charged with a felony that could send them away to prison for several years,” she said. “But a computer or an iPad, one has to give a little bit of thought to stealing something like that.”

Hughes hopes the bill is approved by the General Assembly this fall.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine said that while he hasn’t looked at the bill, he supports it in concept. Historically, Ohio law considers the dollar value of the item stolen, he said.

“To think that all you’re stealing is a $10 phone is simply wrong. You’re stealing stuff that could be worth tens of thousands of dollars either to the crook or to the person who lost it,” DeWine said.

Louie Toms, of Springfield, who had his laptop stolen from his car, agreed and said he supports the bill.

“I had all kinds of personal information stored on there, family pictures, school information and other documents,” he said. “I think (the bill) is a great idea, no matter what the value, if you can store valuable information and it’s stolen, put people in prison.”

How to protect yourself

Tips from The Wireless Association to protect your data on your smartphone if it is lost or stolen:

Be Aware. Know your surroundings, be mindful of where you use it and don’t create an opportunity for a thief to steal it.

Lock It. Set a hard to guess password to protect your device and change it on a regular basis.

Add Apps. Get an application that allows you to remotely track, lock or erase your smartphone.

Back It Up. Save your photos, contacts and other data. It’s always a good idea to have a backup copy.

Insure It. If you are prone to losing things, you may want to consider insuring your device.

AFTER your smartphone is lost or stolen:

Report It. Immediately notify your wireless provider. If your device is lost, tell your provider to put a “hold” on your account so that if it ends up being stolen, you’ve prevented unauthorized usage. Report the theft to police. Tell them what tracking apps you have installed that may help them locate the thief.

Locate it. If it has been stolen, activate the tracking app from a safe location and remote lock your smartphone so the thief cannot access your personal information.

Erase It. If you have sensitive information or you believe your smartphone won’t be returned, it’s best to remote “wipe” it.

With the state operating budget  slated for a vote in the House, Speaker of the Ohio House William G. Batchelder (R-Medina) today commended the efforts of the House Finance and Appropriations Committee to craft a responsible budget while at the same time instituting many substantial improvements to the committee process.
The committee heard testimony on House Bill 59 from 131 witnesses and spent more than 69 hours in committee deliberating the budget. Additionally, it made historic efforts to not only make the committee more modernized and efficient, but also to bring the budget discussions to the homes of every Ohioan by broadcasting hearings online.
By using iPads to access committee materials such as testimony, bill language, amendments, comparison documents, and other supporting materials, the Finance and Appropriations Committee significantly improved the efficiency of the committee’s operations. As a result of the paperless pilot project, the House saved thousands of dollars in the cost of paper and other overhead solely during the budget process. Additionally, reduced printing demands allowed the House to close a bill room, which will save $31,500 annually.
Furthermore, the House took an unprecedented step to make the budget process more transparent and accessible by streaming the Finance and Appropriations Committee online on the House web site. A cumulative total of more than 331,000 visitors streamed the committee hearings, with over 13,000 unique visitors to the Finance and Appropriations Committee web site since January. The committee also posted documents to the web site for public examination.

Speaker Batchelder released the following statement on the committee’s work and efficiencies:

“I am very appreciative of all the time and effort that Chairman Amstutz and the members of the Finance and Appropriations Committee devoted to this endeavor. Not only did they ensure that the budget bill is steadfast in our commitment to Ohio’s economy and competitiveness, but they also did so in a way that opened the doors of the entire process to all Ohioans. The opportunity for Ohioans to watch committee hearings from the comfort of their homes or wherever they may be, including on their mobile devices, is a new and exciting program that was a great success during these budget proceedings. We also made efficiency a priority by going paperless and digitalizing our materials, which emulates a method that many private-sector businesses already employ. The way in which the Finance and Appropriations Committee hearings were operated with such efficiency is a testament to Chairman Amstutz’s dedication to an open and transparent process.”