YouTube Takes A Byte Out Of Crime

from the busted dept

A week ago, we reported how a Canadian cop put a surveillance video up on YouTube in hopes that it would help solve a murder in a nightclub. A week later, a suspect has turned himself in, and the cops are crediting YouTube -- sort of. One said there's "little doubt that the extra media generated by the use of YouTube contributed to the fact that this man turned himself in", so it's not clear if putting the video up on the site, or rather the extra attention the case got from the media because the police had done so was what did it. Still, that's not necessarily important, really, but perhaps the experience will illustrate to other police departments that if they want video broadcasts to help nail criminals, they need to go where the viewers are -- and increasingly, that's online.
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Reader Comments

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  1. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 22 Dec 2006 @ 12:20pm

    A social benefit to Youtube.
    Kewl!

    link to this | view in thread ]

  2. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 22 Dec 2006 @ 12:29pm

    Big Brother has truly arrived and Big Brother is us.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  3. identicon
    Kuru Oujou, 22 Dec 2006 @ 12:29pm

    This is awesome

    w00t! However, how is this a MIS-use of technology?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  4. identicon
    Carter, 22 Dec 2006 @ 12:41pm

    Again?

    Wow, look at that. Another cute headline trying to be funny. And look, again it's from Carlo.

    Carlo, try to be more imaginative. You know, by not trying to make a weak joke out of every headline? Thanks.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  5. identicon
    Casual Obeserver, 22 Dec 2006 @ 12:47pm

    Re: Again?

    Agreed.
    Kinda dumb, Carlo.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  6. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 22 Dec 2006 @ 12:48pm

    Re: Again?

    What part of your comment benefits this discussion?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  7. identicon
    justin, 22 Dec 2006 @ 1:36pm

    youtube

    and I thought it was just another wee-tawd-did form of people broadcasting stupid things they do over the internet for attention since the 13yr-olds who lack social interaction are probably the demographic there. Who ever would of thought it was a media for catching mastermind killers. you go you tube, you go.

    Honestly, you really think this killer turned himself in because of you tube? doubtful, if anything it might of burned at his conscience and actually wanted to take his punishment. The article never stated the perp. (oh, I sound all cop now) felt the pressure from you tube and then decided to turn himself in. I mean, if Youtub is responsible, heck make it an honory turn yourself in if you are broadcast on it...

    Got to love hick cops and there new oh-so-shiny new
    technology. but kudos to them [cops] for eating tim-hortons and accepting the killers surrender.

    p.s. that was the cheesiest title ever btw... =)

    link to this | view in thread ]

  8. identicon
    Fung Ngo, 22 Dec 2006 @ 1:42pm

    Re: Big Brother

    Why is it that any time society holds someone accountable for their actions, people see it as some kind of evil and invoke 50+-year-old literature that is completely irrelevant? Let's face it, if people did not commit murder and mayhem, there'd be no need for anybody to give up any of the so-called "rights" that are supposedly sacrificed in the effort to limit the damage to society caused by the defectives and degenerates.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  9. identicon
    NewspeakIsUngood, 22 Dec 2006 @ 2:26pm

    Re: Re: Again?

    FYI: some of us do appreciate bad puns.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  10. identicon
    ehrichweiss, 22 Dec 2006 @ 2:42pm

    Re: Re: Big Brother

    "Why is it that any time society holds someone accountable for their actions, people see it as some kind of evil and invoke 50+-year-old literature that is completely irrelevant? Let's face it, if people did not commit murder and mayhem, there'd be no need for anybody to give up any of the so-called "rights" that are supposedly sacrificed in the effort to limit the damage to society caused by the defectives and degenerates."

    What the hell are you talking about here? The "defectives and degenerates" you are referring to are typically the people who want us to give up our ACTUAL rights..no "so-called" or "supposedly" to it. I'm not giving up my right to drive my car because some retard wants to drive drunk any more than I'm going to give up my right to buy "dangerous" books because some fools decided to fly airplanes into the WTC. You seem to be the type that would gladly give up your liberty in exchange for perceived safety; at least that's what your statement above implies.

    But besides that, your mostly incomprehensible rant doesn't make any sense in reference to the GP's post. They simply stated that we are now taking back the power and that "we" are the force to deal with, not necessarily our government.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  11. identicon
    FumDuck, 22 Dec 2006 @ 4:12pm

    Re: Re: Re: Big Brother

    So let's just let robbers, murderers and rapists run rampant, so we can have fun with our rights, barricaded behind barred windows and locked doors? You call that liberty?

    And, incidentally, you have no right to drive your car -- it's a privilege extended to you by your state in the form of a drivers license. Drive like an idiot too many times (and get caught doing it) and guess what -- your license is revoked. If the way you are caught is by somebody obtaining video footage of you endangering public safety by driving your car in a dangerous manner, well, what's the relationship to Orwell's "1984"?

    Little wonder you don't understand Mr. Ngo's post or its point in relation to the Big Brother remark -- I would guess you're not particularly well educated if you can't distinguish between a right and a license (a dictionary may prove useful here, if you own one). In fairness, it might be a little much to expect you to offer a rational explanation of why "1984" is in any way relevant to the original article, much less explain in any sensible fashion your apparent view that the government is not "us", given that "we" elect the government.

    However, please do feel free to continue foaming at the mouth, as it is really rather amusing.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  12. identicon
    Ouch, 23 Dec 2006 @ 6:07am

    Zing

    DAMN, FumDuck! Go get 'em!

    link to this | view in thread ]

  13. identicon
    Samazary, 24 Dec 2006 @ 6:50am

    Amen

    Aaaaaaaaand a hearty AMEN on that one FumDuck... I wish more people had watched 1984 and more recently Enemy of the state, etc... it might make people think twice about being trigger happy, big brother evangelists...

    link to this | view in thread ]

  14. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 24 Dec 2006 @ 9:07am

    Samazary, FumDuck hit the nail on the head, but you're holding the hammer upside-down.
    If you've heard of the movie 1984, you pretty much know all there is. The lame fake-picture-big-brother and rat-eats-face-helmet towards the end were the only surprises... *eeeew*
    I think you should've recommended the book instead.

    Enemy of the State was pulp fiction. If you took that movie seriously, you misunderstood it's purpose. Will Smith is the guy that made "I, Robot"... funny, remember? ("Cats did this to you?")

    On a side note, last month I took the tracking chip out of my neck and put it in a potato chip bag, but the aliens are STILL finding and abducting me. OH, how could you lead me wrong Will? ...You must be working for the MIB! hey wait a minute...?

    link to this | view in thread ]


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