A 29-year-old who allegedly bought a stolen MacBook computer was busted … by the computer, cops say.

Abimael Garcia was arrested by the LAPD after tracking software installed by the notebook's owner captured him using the machine and came up with his location, the LAPD announced today.

The machine was taken from a car parked in downtown's Fashion District on …

… Oct. 22, cops said in a statement.

The owner is a 21-year-old USC student who then went to police with screen shots of the computer's new owner, the LAPD said. The security software she installed also figured out where the Apple was, apparently.

Garcia.

Garcia.

Garcia told officers that he bought the machine for $150 from a man he worked with as a valet at Fifth Street and Broadway, cops say.

He said the man's name is “Pelon,” a common gangster moniker that means “bald” in Spanish slang. Nonetheless Garcia was arrested recently at his Pico-Union home for allegedly receiving stolen property.

(Actually, if they nabbed the suspect near where the map above indicates he allegedly was, it's more like Witmer Street between Third and Sixth streets in Westlake. Also, note that the photo identifies the machine as “Fei's MacBook” and lists the anti-theft software as Prey).

LAPD Lt. Paul Vernon warned that …

… if you buy a $1,500 computer from a guy on the street for $150, it's probably stolen. And now, that computer may rat you out.

Vernon failed to note that if you buy a computer from a guy whose only name is Pelon, it's most definitely stolen.

[@dennisjromero/djromero@laweekly.com/@LAWeeklyNews]

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