How can I protect against my laptop being stolen? Can it share its location?

Solution 1:

Others had mention Prey (open source and freemium). You can also try Pombo. But your question is What to do against the thievery?. This is more broad.

• Avoid being robbed
  • Use security/Kensington lock cable
  • Activate an alarm when stolen ("kill cord", pendrive or AC power removed). Something like BusKill (LAlarm or A.L.A.R.M. equivalent for Linux¹).
• Avoid others access to your data
  • Full disk encryption LUKS: This and a backup are probably the best things to do. Hardware is replaceable, your data probably not.
  • Always lock your laptop (and use a strong password)
• Get you laptop back
  • Engrave contact info so could reach you if it end on honest hands.
  • Prey/Pombo: Probably a little bit naive.
  • Add a RFID tag for tracking/SmartTag
  • Could be useful to save on a safe location your make, model and serial numbers (sudo dmidecode -s system-serial-number/-t chassis, lsblk --nodeps -no serial /dev/sda)

¹ Please comment for more/better alternatives.