A local Cochrane man who was a victim of theft may have the last laugh.

Stu Gale, had a laptop and tools stolen from his truck on Monday, January 16 the same day there was a rash of vehicle thefts in town.

Although Gale did not discover the laptop was missing until Tuesday, the events that have followed will have thieves...maybe... thinking again.

Gale has a background in security, automation, and lighting control and this case may turn into something much bigger.

"I run several laptops at once so I can work on a dozen laptops at once. They are all hooked together with this remote control software, I can remote into one (computer) anywhere so it creates your own network, and it alerts you when a machine comes online. So I was working away and all of a sudden 'ding' the laptop came online."

Gale says the person who was in possession of the laptop appeared on Facebook, logged in, and with that Gale was able to  learn the suspect's identity and much more.

"I was able to rifle through her Facebook profile, I got her contact information, all of her friends list, and she also had a text app coming up that she was reeling her Facebook password reset through."

Gale figures the person of interest has no idea that he had remoted in;  not only did he gather information but was able to communicate with the suspects friends that she was indeed using a stolen laptop.

"A couple conversations opened up, and one had a phone number in it, so I called the phone number, told her who I was, and said she (the suspect) is on a laptop that doesn't belong to her, it is stolen, she needs to return it."

Gale says once the suspect learned he had valuable information, the computer went offline; with that Gale headed to the RCMP.

Gale has shared his info not only with RCMP but also through various social media groups; through his investigation he has learned more information about the suspect as well as a possible connection to other crimes in and around the Cochrane area.

Cochrane RCMP are still investigating the theft, as is Gale.

While Gale realizes his laptop and tools are likely gone forever, he wants to see a stop to crime in and around Cochrane.

"I think it is out of control, I am tired of having my stuff stolen."

Gale is hopeful with all the information he was able to forward to the RCMP that an arrest will be made.