NationStates Jolt Archive

Mwahaha. This is what you get when you steal an x-box from someone, nub.


http://news.filefront.com/internet-community-strikes-down-xbox-360-thief-with-great-vengeance-and-furious-anger/

Sit down, kids; it’s story time.

On March 12, Jesse McPherson returned from his trip to SXSW only to find that his home in Philadelphia had been burglarized. The thief made off with his TV, an old Powerbook, and his Xbox 360. Naturally, he was upset, so he took it upon himself to call up some local pawn shops in the area to see if anyone had come in trying to hock his stuff.

As luck would have it, the first place he called remembered a young man who tried to sell a Powerbook that had a few quirks similar to McPherson’s. So he went down there and snapped a couple shots from their security feed of the guy trying to sell the laptop. He contacted the police and told them he had pictures of the thief, but he never heard back from them. Meanwhile, this past Friday, his co-workers surprise him with a brand new Xbox 360 console.

Now here’s where things get really interesting. That night, McPherson goes home, hooks up his new gift, and recovers his Xbox Live account. The first thing he notices is he’s received a voice message from some random person. As it turns out, it’s the thief, who explicitly says he’s got the Xbox and offers to sell it back to him. McPherson calls the police, and the person on the other end tells him to call back during normal operating hours and then hangs up on him (note to self: never ever move to Philadelphia). Left with nowhere else to turn, McPherson did the only thing he could think of and posted the thief’s Xbox Live account on the internet. His story got picked up by Digg and within a few hours the internet community managed to uncover the thief’s name, address, high school, e-mail, phone number, etc. and even put together a wiki page to compile all of it.

Then he pretty much started getting harassed through AIM, a YouTube video, and probably every social site he’s ever subscribed to almost constantly. By Sunday, the kid actually shows up at McPherson’s house and gives him the laptop back. No word yet on the Xbox, but McPherson has said he will be in contact with the kid’s parents soon. I also have a feeling the kid will be giving up the Xbox soon, since his account’s bio now reads: “mY eFFinG xBoX brOkE sO i WoNt bE oN fOr aWhILe iF u NeEd Me SEnD mE a MeSsAgE aS lOnG aS iT aiNt vOiCe I wiLl GeT iT.”

There’s really no justice quite like internet justice. Some people have pointed out that a threat left on Xbox Live is flimsy evidence that this kid is the actual thief and not just the guy who bought it off the thief. That may be true, but it’s still a little hard to explain how an internet search that started with an Xbox Live account brought back a picture of a kid who looks a lot like the guy trying to pawn a Powerbook that sounds remarkably like the stolen one. Besides, even if he weren’t the one who broke into McPherson’s house, he still knowingly bought some stolen goods and then bragged about it to the rightful owner. That’s worthy enough of some internet backlash, I say.

Okay for non spammy discussion:

1)Have you ever had anything stolen?
-or-

2) Have you ever used the web to get some justice?

That story is pretty amazing.

I'm lucky enough that I haven't had anything stolen. (Though last summer my dad's car was broken in to and all his stereo stuff was stolen.)

Sadly, the only interwebs justice I've "participated" in has been due to stupid arguments- got some harassment online from people who thought I was the evildoer in some stupid personal arguments. Though I have managed to use the internet to catch some people screwing with me. It made me feel warm and fuzzy when I got to tell one I had proof of their wrong-doings and also had their parents' phone numbers and could make his life hell if he didn't leave well enough alone. (This was a few years ago, and the guy lived at home.) Solved problems very quickly, and I was left alone like I asked.

I'm actually more worried that people can find out who someone is and all relevant data just from a gamertag :eek:

The Interbutts is impressive.

He contacted the police and told them he had pictures of the thief, but he never heard back from them.

McPherson calls the police, and the person on the other end tells him to call back during normal operating hours and then hangs up on him (note to self: never ever move to Philadelphia)

No shit!

If I lived in Philly and read this story, I'd be on the phone to my alderman, asking what, exactly, my tax dollars were being used for...since they clearly aren't being used to help prevent or solve crimes.

But...for McPherson, there is thankfully no need.

Interwebz: 1
Philadelphia PD: 0

I had my wallet stolen New Years Day. I don't think the interwebs could help me on this one. The police sure haven't caught the people.

So in Philly, do the police not answer at all outside normal operating hours or is it just not for emergencies?

I had my car stolen in February of 2005. It was a beat-up 1991 Acura Integra RS (lowest trim level). After a week, I spotted it not four blocks away parket at an apartment complex. When the police took me there, they knocked on the apartment's door (he'd parked in his own space, which was numbered), and while he wasn't home, his neighbors were. They agreed to finger the thief but later decided agaisnt it since the thief was probably the landlord's son or nephew or something.

No charges were filed, but I got my car back in working order (they'd only disconnected the air filter intake -- apparently the 1.8L Integra engines are selling well at chop shops for transplant into even lighter Civics.

That is the worst feeling to look out the front window of your house and remember that you didn't loan your car, you didn't drink last night, and anyone else in the house who'd be able to drive it who might have needed it in an emergency is still asleep.

And that's what always pisses me off royally. IT'S NOT YOURS! I can't comprehend how someone just thinks "I'll take that" when it doesn't belong to them. I understand rationally, of course, it's greed -- but are these asshats born without the lobe that allows you to walk in someone else's shoes for even a second? GAH! [/rant]

I had my purse stolen earlier this year. Checkbook, cash, driver's license all gone. Thankfully, I had my student ID and debit card, which was enough for my bank to close my checking account and open a new one. (Hey, I was there.)

About a week later, my purse came back (the engineering department said it had been turned in). It had been rifled through really hard, and my checks were all folded back, so it's a good thing I had my bank accounts closed.

So in Philly, do the police not answer at all outside normal operating hours or is it just not for emergencies?

Look, if he dialed 911, that was stupid. If he called the non-emergency line, maybe it was outside of standard operating hours. (Note it never gives the hour.) Philly cops aren't sitting around waiting for 12:01AM so they can slack off.

Look, if he dialed 911, that was stupid. If he called the non-emergency line, maybe it was outside of standard operating hours. (Note it never gives the hour.) Philly cops aren't sitting around waiting for 12:01AM so they can slack off.

Then what is the function of the people answering the phone at nonstandard operating hours if not to.. you know.. do their job ?

Then what is the function of the people answering the phone at nonstandard operating hours if not to.. you know.. do their job ?

They're there mainly to solve violent crimes and emergencies like that, not fetch stolen low-grade merchandise. I doubt calling the next day at normal operating times would have taken more than 12 more hours. Besides, he could have just done BOTH. Then he could get his stuff back, and the kid could get a criminal record AND be harassed.

They're there mainly to solve violent crimes and emergencies like that

No, that is the job of the emergency service.
What is the function of the nonemergency service if not to deal with nonemergencies ?