After Joshua Kaufman’s Macbook was stolen from his apartment in Oakland, he notified the police. Due to budget cutbacks, Oakland PD don’t respond to many non-violent crimes anymore like burglary, grand theft, and car wrecks, so initially they couldn’t help him. Then Josh activated a tracking program on it called Hidden. Like other similar programs, it gave him real-time remote access to his computer, letting him take pictures using its webcam and capture screenshots. He set up a Tumblr to post them, his story went viral, he gave the tracking info to the police, and they ended up trapping the thief and getting the laptop back to Josh. [More]
Laptop Thief Caught Thanks To Spy Program, Twitter, And Eventually, The Oakland PD
By June 1, 2011
Theft Of Pittsburgh's Iron Trash Cans Allegedly An Inside Job
By May 31, 2011
After a police investigation, the mystery of where fifty of the city of Pittsburgh’s metal trash cans ran off to has been solved. The culprit wasn’t who Consumerist readers suspected. The cans were installed through a partnership with Lamar Advertising, and the man arrested for trying to recycle them just happens to work for Lamar. [More]
ATM Repairman Accused Of Swapping Out Cash With Funny Money
By May 27, 2011
An ATM repairman who is suspected of trafficking in counterfeit money stands accused of using ATMs as, well, ATMs for his criminal purposes. Authorities say the man swapped out $200,000 of genuine cash in exchange for his faux green. [More]
Alleged Walmart Shoplifter Goes On Violent Rampage After Being Asked For Receipt
By May 27, 2011
This is a textbook example of how not to behave when asked for your receipt at a store’s exit. According to the Bradenton, Florida police, a 22-year-old woman tried to leave a Walmart with 43 items she hadn’t paid for, worth a total of $211. When asked for her receipt, she went on a destructive rampage, causing more than $1,000 worth of damage to merchandise. She also punched and spat on store employees, and hit a manager with a bar stool from inside her cart. Police officers discovered marijuana in her purse, and she has been charged with, among other things, aggravated assault and battery. [More]
Swords Are Not Acceptable Utensils At Pizza Hut
By May 26, 2011
There is a time and place to pull out a sword when you are threatened, and that’s when you are He-Man and Skeletor unleashes an attack on Castle Grayskull. On the other hand, if you happen to, say, be inside a Louisville Pizza Hut and get in a heated argument, just keep that sword in its sheath. And ask yourself why you felt the need to bring it to the restaurant in the first place. [More]
City Paid $1,000 For Iron Trash Cans, Thieves Sell Them For Scrap Metal
By May 26, 2011
Back in 2009, the city of Pittsburgh paid $250,000 for 250 elegant iron trash cans weighing more than 200 pounds each. Critics of the mayor called it a waste of city funds at the time, but they are very nice-looking. Now 20% of them are missing, and it took police and the public works department four months to figure out where they’ve gone. They were hauled off and sold for scrap. Update: Theft Of Pittsburgh’s Iron Trash Cans Allegedly An Inside Job [More]
Why Money Launderers Love Prepaid Debit Cards
By May 25, 2011
Gone are the days when it was necessary to transport briefcases full of cash across borders. Now all money launderers need to do is pack a wallet full of prepaid debit cards. [More]
ID Theft: Fix Some Fraudulent Accounts Before Correcting Legit Ones
By May 25, 2011
One of the side effects of someone using your identity to open up a bunch of accounts and leaving you saddled with the bills is that your credit history gets trashed, which means you get victimized a second time over as your real creditors jack up your interest rates and take other adverse action. Your bank account could even get frozen, making you late on some bills. But before you go plead your case to get your credit restored with them, you’ll want to fix some of the fraudulent accounts first. [More]
Thief Took Shoplifting Orders Via Text Message, Stuffed Shoes In Pants
By May 24, 2011
After a suspect shoplifter was arrested, police seized his cellphone and made a startling discovery, FOX 41 reports. Reviewing the entries on the phone, the found orders and special requests from people, who sent him shoplifting selections via text message. However, his method of secreting the merchandise was decidedly lo-tech: he was caught allegedly stuffing shoes down his pants and trying to walk out of the store without paying. [More]
How (And Why) A Pack Of Twitter Vigilantes Recovered A Stranger's Stolen Laptop
By May 13, 2011
A guy was able to hunt down his laptop after he lost it by using a program that gave him remote access to it, tracking its location and taking screenshots of the person who was using it. He even got the guys name after watching him log into Skype. Problem was the laptop was in New York City and the owner was traveling in Canada. So he began live-tweeting his predicament and the Twitterverse rose up and rescued his laptop. [More]
Michaels Debit Card Breach Not Just In Chicago, But Across 20 States
By May 12, 2011
Last week we told you about a debit card breach found in Chicago area Michaels arts and craft stores. This week, the Chicago Tribune says that the impact is much more widespread than thought, as it turns out that actually, thieves stole debit card info at Michaels in 20 different states. [More]
Sony Breach Could Flood Market With Millions Of Cheap Stolen Credit Cards
By May 6, 2011
Some fun (no, not really) potential aftershocks of the Sony Playstation Network breach: The price of buying a stolen credit card number could drop from $5-$10 per to $1-$2 if the hackers flood the market with the 2.2 million credit cards they claim to have access to… [More]
Pickpockets Target Starbucks Customers
By May 2, 2011
While you’re taking a break with a relaxing Trenta of Pike’s Peak Roast coffee at Starbucks, a thief could be silently snagging your wallet, reports the New York Times. [More]
LAPD Falls For Internet Hoax, Sends Out Misguided Alert About UPS Deliveries
By May 2, 2011
Internet hoaxes are capable of tricking not only your grandma, but also the Los Angeles Police Department. An 8-year-old yarn about terrorists — dressed as UPS workers thanks to uniforms bought on eBay — who could deliver explosives disguised as packages spurred the force to send out an alert to residents. An unidentified state law enforcement agency passed the info to the police department. [More]
Tomato Thieves Terrorize Florida Trucking Industry
By April 15, 2011
These tomato thieves aren’t just naughty bunnies nibbling in your garden, but a sophisticated band of crooks taking advantage of the high price of produce right now to take in $300,000 hauls, reports the NYT. [More]
Man Gets 6-12 Months After Yelling At Walmart Greeter Who Asked To See Receipt
By April 14, 2011
A man has received a 6-12 month sentence after he was accused of yelling and cursing at a Walmart greeter who asked to see his receipt. [More]
Bearded Man Steals $658 Worth Of Razors, May Have Shaved Beard By Now
By April 6, 2011
New Jersey’s Hunterdon County Democrat urges the public to watch out for a criminal on the loose. A tall, burly, bearded man shoplifted $658 worth of expensive razors from a Walgreens store. Police told the newspaper that the man “may or may not have a beard at this time.” [More]
Pro Football Player Accused Of Stealing Beer From Casino Deli
By April 5, 2011
No matter how tough things may be for out-of-work pro football players, it’s doubtful they’re hard up enough for cash that they have to resort to swiping beer. [More]
