Last week gaming hardware company Razer debuted Project Valerie, a cutting-edge laptop concept that switches automatically between one and three displays. On Sunday, two prototype models were stolen from the Razer booth at CES 2017. The company is offering $US25,000 ($33,960) for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.
The news of the theft was posted to Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan's Facebook page this week. Tan noted that two unspecified prototypes had been taken from the Razer booth, condemning the act of potential "industrial espionage" as "cheating".
![Razer's prototype can automatically switch from a single-screen setup to three screens.](/web/20170430122704im_/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/p/w/6/x/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gtpw2g.png/1484284679491.jpg)
"At Razer, we play hard and we play fair. Our teams worked months on end to conceptualize and develop these units and we pride ourselves in pushing the envelope to deliver the latest and greatest", he wrote.
"We treat theft/larceny, and if relevant to this case, industrial espionage, very seriously — it is cheating, and cheating doesn't sit well with us. Penalties for such crimes are grievous and anyone who would do this clearly isn't very smart".
True glorious PC gaming realized with Project Valerie — the world’s first automated triple display laptop: https://t.co/teULJ9v7IG pic.twitter.com/s7P53JwGBu
— RΛZΞR (@Razer) January 5, 2017
We reached out to Razer for clarification surrounding the incident, and were told that the prototypes in question were indeed Project Valerie laptops.
While still in concept prototype stage, the Project Valerie units on display at CES were fully-functional. You can see the tech in action in a post over at Gizmodo.
Razer laptop prototypes seem to be high-demand items in thieving circles. Two of the earliest models were stolen from Razer's San Francisco Bay research and development facility in 2011.
In a statement, Razer detailed a $US25,000 ($33,960) reward being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the theft of the Project Valerie prototypes. The full statement reads:
"A $25,000 reward is being offered for original information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of a criminal suspect. Razer, in its sole discretion, will decide who is entitled to a reward and in what amount. Razer may pay only a portion of the maximum reward offered. The decision will be based primarily upon law enforcement's evaluation of the value of the information provided. When there are multiple claimants, the reward will be shared in amounts determined by Razer. Razer associates are not eligible for the reward. This reward offer is good for one year from the date it is first offered, unless extended by Razer. Information about the theft can be sent to legal@razerzone.com. Razer will not publicly disclose material that it receives or details about respondents, except to those persons with whom Razer is directly working to resolve this matter or as may be required by law".
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