04 Jun Security Humor: Burglars tripped up by technology
Security Humor: Burglars tripped up by technology
Modern technology has given criminals the opportunity to be stupid in ways that were once unimaginable in times past. These sort of stories give ample opportunity for a few laughs.
The burglar who butt-dialed 911
The Inquisitr recently reported how a 911 dispatcher for the local police in Blue Earth County, Minnesota received a call at 3:42 in the morning. She soon realized that while she could hear what was going on, no one on the other end could hear her. Someone had butt-dialed 911. Shortly thereafter the dispatcher realized that something nefarious was going on, judging from the conversation she was picking up between two unidentified males. The call went on for 34 minutes, affording police the opportunity to trace the call and determine where the criminals were located. Squad cars were duly dispatched.
It turned out that the burglars were hiding out at the Blue Earth County Sheriff Department’s shooting range. A woman, evidentially the getaway driver, was waiting in a parked car just outside. While the three suspects were detained, police investigated a business named North Mankato Supply, which had been thoroughly ransacked and looted of cash and valuables. The three suspects were arrested and later charged with third-degree burglary.
Ironically, the last words the dispatcher heard on the line, still open, were, “I think I see the police!” Then she heard the sound of the two men running, as it turns out to no avail.
The burglar who left behind a selfie
WISN, a TV station in Milwaukee, reported the case of a particular burglar who stole a number of items from a homeowner but left behind what was, in effect, a calling card that identified him.
It started when the unidentified homeowner noticed that her house had been broken into and that an unknown burglar had stolen a DVR and a Wii game console. However the burglar left behind a smart phone that had several selfies, portraits of himself, and a text he had sent in the middle of the crime that stated, “Rampaging. LOL.” That and the spot of blood he left with DNA evidence let to his arrest. The receipt for the Wii which he had sold to a pawn shop was found in his car when he was picked up.
Burglars see security camera, try to rob home anyway
Homeowners and businesses are increasingly using security cameras to deter burglaries and other crimes. Sometimes they work, but sometimes they don’t if the criminals in question are a little too bold and not very bright.
A case in point was reported by the Fox affiliate in St. Louis when a trio of burglars trying to enter a house in Kansas City, Missouri clearly saw a camera recording their every move as they tried to break into a house. One of them even smirked for the camera and made a hand gesture. Even though they tried to turn the camera off, it had already recorded their actions.
When the homeowner returned to find several items of a personal nature missing, he was comforted to know that the police were able to identify the breaking and entering artists from the video footage and, in short order, arrest them.
The bottom line
People have been breaking into other people’s homes and businesses to steal stuff since the dawn of civilization. Modern technology has increasingly proven to be a deterrent to such crimes. Failing that, crooks are being caught on security cameras that they either don’t notice or don’t understand. Furthermore, criminals who do not understand how modern communications technology works, such as the butt-dialers or the man who left the selfie-laden phone, are increasingly catching themselves. The bottom line is that if crooks were not stupid, they would choose a more honest line of work.
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