Unless your neighborhood thief has a hankering for vintage small electronics, disguising your iPod inside an old Sony Walkman might be a worthy diversion. The clever ruse even reveals a fake cassette tape through its window, completing the illusion.

Problem is, the first thing a robber sees from blocks away are those telltale white earbuds, so you might want to modify an old pair of black headphones to completely trick those miscreants looking for a five-finger discount on your stuff.

But wait. Isn't a classic Walkman player (in especially good condition such as this one) a collector's item? Not really, but they're not completely worthless, either — some are selling for upwards of $100, but we saw one recently sold on eBay for $20. It's too cool for this purpose. Just get the oldest, most beat-up player you can find, and you're good to go.

Flickr, via Gadget Venue