Yet Another WiFi-Borrowing Criminal Caught
from the it-is-possible dept
You may recall the story that got a lot of press earlier this month about the bank robber who, rather creatively used Craigslist to enlist a bunch of unwitting conspirators. He put up a day labor job ad, telling anyone interested to show up at a particular corner (in front of a bank) dressed in a very specific manner (blue shirt, safety goggles, dayglo work vest) where they would find out what work they were expected to do. Instead, the guy robbed the bank dressed in the same manner, and left police confused as they saw a bunch of folks who met the description of the bank robber.However, it appears that the guy has now been caught, as police used some good old fashioned detective work to figure out his identity -- relying on witness clues and DNA evidence. While the method of his getaway seems intriguing, what may be even more worthy of note is that the guy posted the original Craigslist ad using an open WiFi, believing that would help him avoid getting caught. Over the past few years, we've heard time and time again law enforcement officials complain and fret about open WiFi being a criminals' best friend, because it meant a criminal could do whatever they want and never get caught. Yet, as we've seen time and time and time again, such criminals can often be tracked down via other means.
Yes, it's true that an open WiFi network makes it more difficult to track down the criminal, but we don't live in a world where criminals are expected to leave a calling card everywhere they go either. Instead, we expect police to do a variety of detective work. A guy who walks into a bank with a ski mask isn't identifiable by his face, but the police look at other clues. In the same way, a criminal who uses open WiFi isn't identifiable via his IP address, but police look at other clues. And that's just what they did in this and many other cases that involve criminal behavior using open WiFi.
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Filed Under: criminals, open wifi, wifi
Companies: craigslist
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I blame movies like Ocean's Eleven
Such movies should be banned.
At least they should always be written such that the criminal gets caught in the end, or at worst, that they are left trapped in a dire predicament like in 'The Italian Job' (the original, Michael Caine version).
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Re: I blame movies like Ocean's Eleven
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Re: Re: I blame movies like Ocean's Eleven
movies put bad ideas in peoples heads.
i feel that all movies should be banned.
in fact, all thinking should be banned
at puberty, children should be lobotomized and have shock
electrudes inserted
this way if they think, they can be punished.
i actually beleive this has already been going on for some time,
how else could you explain the newly elected terrorist
oops, i mean president
thanks,
anais
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Re: Re: Re: I blame movies like Ocean's Eleven
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Re: Re: Re: Re: I blame movies like Ocean's Eleven
New president elect a terrorist? Anais I wouldn't go criticizing someone for being stupid and then say something even more moronic, not to mention bigoted.
It's cause of short-sighted, bigoted, morons like you this country has elected terrible presidents in the past. I apply all comments from "All morons should be sterilized" to you Anais.
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Re: not bigotry
Even those who disagree with you or your politics have their right to free speech. And that doesn't make them bigots. If anything, you are the bigot for bringing it up. Please stop labeling people.
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Re: Re: not bigotry
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: I blame movies like Ocean's Eleven
Too early to tell with Obama? Nah, he's a liberal and that's really all you need to know. But throw in this:
Obama has had a relationship with Bill Ayers, a radical communist and terrorist who planted bombs in the 1970's. The bombs were planted at the Pentagon and Capitol Building. Ayers recently stated that he "doesn't regret setting the bombs," and went on to say thaat he didn't do enough bombing. He has contributed money to Obama's campaign and Obama's campaign admitted that the two had a "relationship" and were "friends."
And, with support from Hamas, Obama has friends in Muslim terrorist organizations, whether he wants them or not.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: I blame movies like Ocean's Eleven
Okay.
Bigotry? certainly. Judging someone purely by a label makes you a bigot.
Fortunately, you can just ignore them because, hey, Hard Core GOPers don't care about any other opinion and CERTAINLY won't listen to anyone rebutting them.
Oh, and Clinton? What was that? We actually had an effective budget SURPLUS and LESS GOVERNMENT under a DEMOCRAT than the REPUBLICAN Bush Jr.?
Really. Moral objections are only that - moral - and don't determine how good of a president he was.
And don't get me started about the whole "terrorist" connection.
By-the-by; Before you start with the mud-slinging and Hitler calling (i did it first), I am actually a registered Independant.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: I blame movies like Ocean's Eleven
That's really weird, you skipped some... unless you're saying Nixon and the Bushes were awesome?
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Re: Re: I blame movies like Ocean's Eleven
Seriously, why do people make a very stupid, rights revoking comment when replying and bitching about someone making a very stupid, rights revoking comment?
1) Crosbie Fitch is un-American and anti freedom of speech. As evidence: He wants to ban the telling of stories because its about "bad guys" doing "bad things."
2) All morons should be sterilized is un-American and pro eugenics. As evidence: He wants to take away someone's ability to have children because he doesn't agree with them.
3) Anais is a total bigot. I sadly only wish I could call that un-American, but at least less people than voted for McCain thing along those lines.
People need to go back and READ the damned constitution, and then go out and read everything else written by the founding fathers.
People seem to be forgetting that no matter how personally biased many of them were, they still tried to do what was best for *everyone* even if its only later down the road...
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Re: Re: Re: I blame movies like Ocean's Eleven
If you want to see an example of racism; look at the percentage of the black population that voted for Obama vs the percentage that voted Democratic in the past. Last time I checked, choosing one person over another based on race is discrimination.
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Re: Re: I blame movies like Ocean's Eleven
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Re: Re: I blame movies like Ocean's Eleven
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Re: I blame movies like Ocean's Eleven
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Re: I blame movies like Ocean's Eleven
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Re: I blame movies like Ocean's Eleven
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Re: Re: I blame movies like Ocean's Eleven
its not sarcasm, its real, and its F'in stupid.
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Re: I blame movies like Ocean's Eleven
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Re: I blame movies like Ocean's Eleven
Got news for you, I enjoyed that movie and have no intentions of becoming a "cunning, ingenious and novel" criminal. Neither do 99.99% of the people that watched that movie. the other .01% are stupid enough to do the crime long before they saw the movie. And that of course would imply that oceans 11 movie was anything like this crime which it was i guess if you count stealing being involved, I guess that movie inspired whoever snatched your purse too. I think Idiots like you should be banned from voicing an opinion, or better yet, from voting. You should never take away the right of the common people because you have an opinion that people did something wrong with that common right. (ie. guns, violence in games and movies, other crimes in games and movies, motorcycles, powerfull cars, blah blah blah) /rant
-Walker
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Re: I blame movies like Ocean's Eleven
The people that write the movie scripts don't get their ideas from other movies about bad things, They use their imagination to come up with new stories. Should they ban using your imagination as well?
Anyone that is going to rob a bank is going to rob a bank even if they have to use an original (That means they thought up the method themselves) plan to do it.
Do you really think that banning "Such" movies will stop people from doing bad things, or even slow it down. Good grief!!!!!
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Re:
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Re: I blame movies like Ocean's Eleven
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Wait... Godwin?
Obama is the next Hitler?
Anais is the next Hitler?
We're ALL Hitler? And I'm Jewish!
Maybe we're only spectres in the Furher's dream...
Terrorist president.
Please.
The world did not end on Tuesday.
Every Democrat the wins suddenly becomes "the end of America," and Repubs as well.
Hasn't happened yet.
Please leave your revolting alarmism at home.
Oh, and Crabby?
Disagreeing with the president or disliking him is not bigotry. I can respect those who just don't like him or disagree with his policies. That's fine.
Since when is calling someone a terrorist "disagreeing" though? I guess Obama disagrees with that assesment - He doesn't think he's a terrorist?!
Feel free to disagree. Please don't blatantly offend and insult. THAT's bigotry at work.
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Re: Wait... Godwin?
What really gets me is that the people who elected this president were only listening to his words and not actually watching him.
Yes he wants to end the war in Iraq, exactly like we did several times before leaving it a hot bed for an even worse enemy to arise in. Nor will he bring the troops home, he will start a new war, in Pakistan, then Iran, Syria, etc.
Yes he wants to provide public health care, but you know what? That will only effectually remove private health care as an option. Smaller employers will drop health coverage all together and require that their employees seek private health care out on their own, or use public health care, all to be more competitive. Then larger and larger companies will drop their coverage to maintain their competitive edge. So now you have to take a number when you have a heart-attack.
Yes he says he wants to lower taxes, but how do you lower taxes when you increase spending, we can expect immediate tax increases and now all the people who are currently barely hanging on to their lively hoods will in essence have that handle ripped away from them by our new president.
Yes he terminated his affiliation with Rev. Wright, but the man was his leader and friend for decades. Do you really believe he wasn't listening to "god DAMN america"? You choose your friends by sharing a common interest. I could give you that they were friends in spite of Wrights personal views of the country, but his wife is also Mrs "this is the first time I've been proud to be an american". Does a man who surrounds himself with such spite for america really belong LEADING america? do you really think he would have our best interests in mind?
I will respect the office, not the man, and though I don't believe he should be there, unless he royally screws up, I will obey as a lawful citizen should. and by that I only mean that I will behave as a citizen should, not with unconditional obedience but rather follow the laws placed in the constitution.
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Re: Re: Wait... Godwin?
But "socialism", rather than a word we use to discuss the nature of an economic policy, has now in American political discourse become a synonym for "evil".
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Wow..
Do you think they narrowed it down via his mac address that was possibly logged on the router? First half of a mac address is the vendor, then you could goto the vendor and find out when the nic card was assembled and sold, and in what units (laptops), narrow it down to the stores in the area that sold those laptops and go through those records? Just a thought?
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Re: Wow..
Kind of a let down...imo
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Re: Wow..
Criminals will find new and creative ways to get money. Movies are not to blame for that. I mean Ocean's Eleven? Seriously pull your head out of the sand.
I think it would be interesting to see how they tracked him. They probably tracked him via physical clues (tattoos or other distinguishing marks) from the eye witnesses. Unlocked wifi is not the culprit here. I mean that's like saying restaurants are culprits because that's where the criminal thought through his entire plan.
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Re: Wow..
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Re: Wow..
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Re: Wow..
Talk about off topic. Allthough I agree with some of the comments. I wont say which ones because no matter which ones I choose I will get comments from others that see me as a shallow idiot as well.
Does anyone know how the guy got caught?
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Idiots, Morons and good job by the police
As for everyone turning this into some freedom of speech hootnaney, bloody grow up. And as far as idiots, morons and bigots go, give them enough rope as the saying goes.
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Yep. It's certainly seeming that way so far. Just stating an observation :)
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STOP FEEDING THE TROLLS!
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Not what I thought the article would be
Or should we wait and see if that gets added to his list of charges?
*looks at other comments*
Oh, wait, I'm sorry, was I supposed to comment on the story, or on politics?
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Eugenics
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Thanks Kevin and Yakko
Kevin brings up a good point, why couldn't they find someone via Mac Address? Unless they used a public computer I would think they would be able to trace it through local providers. Just a thought.
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Re: Thanks Kevin and Yakko
Even so, though, just because WiFi doesn't provide automatic traceability for possible criminal tracking doesn't mean it's evil. Not every device a criminal might use is required to point back to the criminal.
From Masnick: "An open WiFi network makes it more difficult to track down a criminal." No. It's not a barrier, making it more difficult. It's just not a help. Much the same way a public pay phone isn't much of a help.
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Re: Thanks Kevin and Yakko
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MAC_spoofing
That wikipedia entry even lists programs you can download to do the spoofing.
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Re: Re: Thanks Kevin and Yakko
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I could go on but what's the point. If your posts aren't on the topic people will just skip over them.
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Terriorist President
I swear, conspiricy theorist abound.
If he truely was a terrorist, he could do more damage as not President as he wouldn't be under the watchful eye of everyone. You think Secret Service is gonna stand by as he meets privately with known terriorists?.. I think not.
Irrational fear comes from irrational people and fearful people do stupid things, thus leaving these fearful people labeled as 'stupid'.
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Re: Terriorist President
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MORONS!!!!
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So he could use the computer at the library to post a comment blaming Oceans Eleven for all crime on earth!
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WiFi Guy caught by cyber methods?
It seems that the rest of the herein commentators may have lost sight of the facts surrounding the criminal's capture. If the article is to be believed, just maybe his nefarious public WiFi idea was valid?
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MAC address is nothing like a fingerprint
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It's not crimes like this which open wifi really makes easier, but online only crimes like child porn, fraud, etc...
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Teddy Hedenquist
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Ridiculous logic
Wow, under that logic, we better go back and ban payphones, computers in public libraries, even public meeting places. After all, we wouldn't want anyone to be able to say anything that couldn't be traced back to them.
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