According to the Computer Security Institute's Computer Crime and Security Survey, theft of private or proprietary information created the greatest financial losses for the survey respondents. If you are a medical institution, U.S. government agency, or financial institution, information theft can result in violation of patient privacy regulations, loss of customer credit card numbers, unauthorized financial transactions, or disclosure of national security secrets.
While all computers are vulnerable to information theft, laptops are particularly vulnerable due to their portability and ease of theft. Most servers are locked in racks in data centers, however laptops are typically left out on desks where access is easy. If an office visitor walked out of the office with a laptop under their arm, an unknowing receptionist would likely expect that it was the visitor's own laptop and not question it. The solution is to secure your laptops in the work environment.
