April 2, 2008 -
When his Xbox 360, Apple PowerBook and flat-screen TV were stolen in a recent break-in, Jesse McPherson (left) had no inkling that gamers from around the world would band together to hunt down the thieves.Frustrated by what he said was a lack of police response, McPherson began a bit of his own sleuthing and found that someone had tried to sell his PowerBook at a nearby pawn shop. As the Philadelphia Daily News reports, the big break in the case came after McPherson's coworkers chipped in to buy him a new 360. When he logged on to Xbox Live, one of the thieves began taunting him and even left voice messages offering to sell the stolen console back to McPherson.
When McPherson posted the story of the brazen - but not especially clever - thief on Digg, the gaming community too notice and swung into action. Armed with the crook's Xbox Live GamerTag, they found his online photo collection, his self-made rap video on YouTube and even his real name, address and phone number.
The thief soon found himself targeted by an onslaught of gamers who filled his accounts with nasty messages and called his house continually. One gamer in England even posted an audio file of a conversation he had with the crook's mother. Eventually, the pressure became too great and McPherson's 360 and his PowerBook were returned to him. The police made a fingerprint match and were preparing to arrest two suspects.
GP: This story once again shows the impressive power of gamers for collective action. Daily News reporter Ronnie Polaneczky frets, however, about the potential for online vigilantism:
I'm glad that so many strangers rallied behind McPherson. But, I'll be honest with you - his story chills me. Vigilante justice can be chaotic and uncontrollable, whether it's conducted online or face-to-face...
On the other hand, what have we come to when a home invasion elicits what comes across as a shrug from police, instead of urgent action? And should we expect anything less than vigilante action as frustrated victims become technologically savvy enough to take justice into their own hands?
The local Fox affiliate, WTXF-29 has a video report on McPherson's case:
Comments
Ah, well. I think the cops do a pretty good job around here; I haven't been tasered in at least a month. And it's always nice to have a story that focuses on the good aspects of the community.
Fangamer
I'd feel much better about being hounded by normal people, because IME, they are far more logical, and FAR less of a physical threat. Not to mention a physical threat that I can respond to without fear of being thrown in jail for protecting myself.
As a great activist once said.. 'Don't tase me, bro.'
Because that is what a majority of the police have become these days, the government needs to milk more cash out of people so they will happily place coppers on roads all across the country so they can fine people for driving 1MPH over the speed limit, real crime goes unpunished, the government has turned our legal system into another shameless cash cow.
and there are very few good police officers left, this is why vigilantism is the only way in the modern world to see a crime resolved
Pwned xD
Those latter two were considered a sort of "internet lynch mob" that got out of hand, basically using the Internet to make a person's life and their family's life a living hell.
Perhaps Americans are less likely due to having a robust civil society, but I'm a much more pessimistic person. There's always a fine line between group collaboration and mob justice. I guess I'll just say that I'm glad this ended well and with nobody hurt, but somebody should have formed the proper authorities once the perpetrator's address was revealed.
Rage against the system some more. Sucks that this guy lost his stuff, but if you think the Police don't have other crimes to investigate as well, then get real. I'm sure in the big picture, petty theft doesn't really matter so much.
And to the comments about Police giving traffic tickets than stopping crime.... You know there is something called a "traffic cop" right? His sole purpose is to enforce the traffic laws. So when you sit there in your car and complain that he should have something better to do then write you a ticket, the truth is, he doesn't have anything better to do. They have seperate divisions for different crimes.
But I guess in our little high school world of the MAN always out to get us, we can't really think rationally about the world around us.
It was a sad thing, not because of what happened but because the local police didn't help him with his stolen possessions.
@Pominator
I also don't see vigilantism as the best solution, as it tends to involve innocents in most scenarios which puts others at risk. Although that's not always unavoidable. Also, if vigilantism grows, then we'll have lynching for people simply having mod chips at some point. Then we'll fit the stigma many people peg on gamers as violent and bloodthirsty.
The government doesn't make cops looks ways to fine people. It's the cops that decide that they have the power to ruin someone's day, and they will use that power because it makes them feel more significant.
Honestly, no one knows exactly what kind of crimes they may have in their queue, but it isn't a wild stretch to believe that no one simply wanted the case because of no feeling of self-worth or the nigh impossibility of them finding the real criminal. The problem is that the victim basically did the work for them and they refused to get off their ass to get a search warrant. The fact that they just basically needed to visit and check up the possessions would've sufficed for him and them as a means to do their job. They didn't need to spend a day working on it.
Also, don't say higher priority from things like that, there's a reason we have quite a few officers, a growing concern is how big content wants to put higher priority on copyright infringement over murders and larceny crimes.
The police are human beings just like the rest of us; just as lazy, just as open to corruption, just as overworked, just as many egomaniacs and just as many incompetants. There is no big epiphany on joining the police force that suddenly makes them perfect individuals. I don't know why people are so surprised when the police make mistakes or discover there are some bad apples in the force.
Policework is a job just like any other, except that with it comes responsibility and power. Some thrive on it and some abuse it. Welcome to human nature. Personally I think with regards to the comments on thefts, if those who attend break-ins are told by bosses that it is more important to meet targets on traffic violations, they do as they are told.
(I should also point out I've never had any problems with the police - whenever I have been stopped when driving or otherwise; I'm polite to them, they return the favour and I'm on my way again. I suppose never committing crimes also helps :) )
So, what you're saying is that if a criminal flaunts themselves, a mob would be "perfectly appropriate" to decide the severity of the punishment and execute it?
Petty theft? Given what was stolen, this should easily get up into the Grand theft range. Plus as you say, the cops have different divisions. Do you really think the division that handled larceny had so much to do that they couldn't check on a case where it was so easy to get leads?
Next, people lashing out at the reaction for police. I feel there are some misconceptions here. Some people are stating that police are just as likely to fail to coruption, however, I feel they are more likely since the job often attracts people who want power and are more prone to corruption. I see a lot of the attitude where I work (not in law enforcement). People will say things like "Show up, get paid, go home." The idea is to just get enough low hanging fruit to justify your position, don't put yourself out trying to solve difficult things. It's not like TV where they will get a case and follow it all the way to the end. They have so many cases coming in that they just wait until someone calls in with a tip on one of them, or a guy gets caught in the act.
Look at it statistically. What percentage of breaking and entering crimes get solved? When you hear of someone getting caught, how many homes have they burgalized before they get caught? The vast majority of the crimes don't get solved simply because there are so many of them. The police can look good if they catch a few people a month, slap them on the wrist and send them back out.
Traffic cops seem to be the only ones doing their job anymore. So far in my life I've been involved in one homicide (someone killed my friend), one valdalism (neighborring apartment dweller broke the mirror off my car), and one break in (someone kicked down the door to my house). In my eyes, the police are batting a goose egg in my cases. The only ones who at least did a second call were the homicide detectives, and they just gave up. For the break-ins, our neighborhood is keeping an eye out, but likely it is someone in the neighborhood who is doing it since no one ever sees strange cars parked anywhere and the breakins are happening in broad daylight.
In the end, you start having to choose between mob justice, or no justice. Sometimes, the crime is more important to you then it is to the police. Sometimes, you don't just sit back and say, "They'll get him next time, twenty-second time's the charm." If that guy breaks into my house again, I'll let him speak to Buck, .00 magnum Buck. Yes, I know in that example, I would be within the law and not mob or vigilante justice, however the feeling is the same.
I just hope the said angry gamers did end up harassing the right guy.
It also shows another interesting thing. Any time you have a subculture, especially one that is marginalized by the mainstream, the members of that subculture tend to be extremely protective of it's members. A 'you mess with one you mess with the flock' mentality.
GAMER IS LEGION
WE DO NOT FORGIVE
WE DO NOT FORGET
read up on it a bit more. He did contact the police, and they hung up on him. Even after he had his name, a video of him and where he lived, they hung up on him.
That person deserves it after having a go at him after stealing his stuff.
While i can see very little wrong with people assisting law-enforcement through a medium they know considerably better than the police, they should never take the law in their own hands and considering the nature of the internet, that will happen.
Just like you, I'm happy this did not turn out ugly. In restrospect - the thief got off with comparative slap on the wrist. No physical harm was involved.
In any case, it sounds like this guy was more or less handed to the police by the community, it wasn't as if the law wouldn't act once they knew the culprit. So even if inaction was justification, and I don't believe it is, there's even less reason to have a go at the guy in person. One last thing, I know this case was pretty clear cut, but others may not be. What if a community accidentally identifies the wrong person for a crime? There's not much by way of due process in mob action, so how will they clear their name? Furthermore, even if there was due process, is it right that the innocent should endure being treated as if they are guilty by a vigilante community while they wait for the truth to come out? I feel as indignant regarding criminals as the next man, and it it tempting to take personal action, but it can be a bad idea to reach for the pitchfork. ;)
Gift.
Also perhaps the Police need to better train themselves to be computer savy too and also take cases like Theft more seriously.
Because, if someone stolen your consoles and Videogames and stuff, you would be preety upset too.
In the words of King Soloman...
"Treat others in a way that you wish to be treated."
1: Theft
2: Report to Police
3: Taunting the Victim
4: Evidence Gathering
5: Action
I'm not certain that is what happened, and I'm not surprised if it was, but really 5 should have been 'take evidence to Police', and at least seen what their reaction was first.
The way I see it, this was probably Grand Larceny, which is usually a felony. Since the criminal act during the breakin was a felony, that would mean that the Breaking and Entering would also be charged as a felony. Whatever your personal view of how "minor" this crime was, the courts have obviously seen it differently since this is a double felony case...a double felony that the cops ignored.
People talk all the time about how laptop theft is so common...why do you think that is? Around here we had a case a few years ago where someone broke into a house and stole their XBox and camcorder. Well, they didn't seem to move on that case very fast, and guess what happened? The guy forgot the charger, so he went back the *NEXT DAY*. When he got to the house the families teenage daughter was home, so he shot her in the face. So much for B&E being a "minor" issue, eh?
It's great that in this particular instance the online gaming community was able to work together to help this guy, but we need to be extremely careful not to give people like Faux News and Jackass Thompson more ammo to use against us. ("Violent Gamers Attack Thief!") Going after the thief himself was fine, but that's the line. Harrassing his family or friends shouldn't be a part of it.
Also remember that the Internet is forever. It's likely the story is still out there in many places, minus its resolution. The guy's family will likely have to change their phone numbers, maybe even move, to prevent the continued harassment over this.
If that were true I imagine the robber didn't want the cops around but they didn't come. so does that mean that cops are only around at the most inconvenient and unimportant times?
The difference between larceny and infidelity should be fairly clear. Banding together to stop a thief is a public duty. Banding together to stop infidelity is one step from a moralistic lynch mob.
There's no reason for a community to have interest in 'helping' punish a cheater by stalking her. But tracking down a thief and turning over his identity to the cops is perfectly legal. Now, I don't condone talking to the thief's mother, unless he was shown to be a minor, but as long as there was no harassment, no foul was done there.
~~All Knowledge is Worth Having~~
And "take evidence to police" would have resulted in *at least* a couple of more weeks of investigation, paper work, no doubt with the poor dude's stuff being held as evidence for weeks after that until the criminal's trial.
If the police can't be motivated to help people, why are they so surprised when people take the law into their own hands?
I am and have always been a proponent of more police funding and coverage. However, I think in actually I have always been a proponent of more 'Law Enforcement' funding and coverage as Police in general are a useless waste of money.
I think I can give them the benefit of the doubt though, they dont set their mandates. The problem usually stems from horrible fiscal planning from city councils. Emergency services (Police, Fire and Ambulance) should set their own budgets and city councillors should get whats left.
Not necessarily, a Search Warrant can be obtained within 24 hours, and would be executed shortly afterwards, what takes the time is the procedures after arrest, the court hearings etc, but the Police need sufficient evidence to present to a Judge to obtain one, which this info would have been. It should at least have been tried before people started harassing his family.
Got what he deserved, just goes to show how gamers always band together. Spose it comes from being a constantly persecuted and misunderstood 'minority'.
I still remember the man who had his house attacked by a bunch of brainless morons because he was a paediatrician (not a paedophile like they thought it meant).
I'd say a minor, or still living at his parents house. If one of your roomates is a criminal, you're going to have to either find a new roomate, or live with the consequences of their actions. Likewise if he's 18 or over, but still living at his parents, and opting to steal then it falls to the parents to either report his criminal activities, throw him out, or deal with the consequences of his activities themselves.
He did, and the police ignored him. He even had pics off the surveilance video of one of the thieves selling his stuff at a pawn shop before any of this even hit the web and the police ignored him. He didn't post the message online because it appeared as if the police were possibly being inactive, or that he wasn't trying to help the police in their "investigation" in every way that Jesse could, he posted it online because it was clearly obvious that the police were actively ignoring him and the case.
Jesse got a very lucky break thanks to that stupid kid. Generally if this kind of crime isn't caught within 2-3days, it becomes near impossible to retrive any lost possesions.
Just goes to show what happens to idiots in this Web 2.0 world.
One. Xbox 360 and laptop theft will decline when a theif knows an entire community of tech savvy individuals will find you. THAT is a major theft deterrant.
Two. Mob mentality? I think it is prudent to look at this in a different light. I hate to even use this name, however what if this had been *gagging* Paris Hilton or some other well known celebrity's stuff that had been stolen. Would the police have just hung up and ignored them? Hardly.
If you do the right thing and report the incident to police, hand them the evidence they need to catch they guy and get put off with, "we're getting to it." where is the responsibility line for law enforcement? I'm curious about people opinions on this. Personally I'm against vigilany justice, but this story has me torn. If it was my stuff and I knew who had it, and the police just never went to pick the guy up I'd have probably announced it to the gaming community as well. What would you do? Keep in mind this theif didn't just steal McPhearson's stuff, he then taunted him WITH that stuff over Xbox live. That's right up there with stealing someone's cell phone and then calling people on your contact list to harass them or even your home phone to harass you whom the phone was stolen from.
What's everyone's opinion on this from a law enforcement responsibility perspective?
And, taunting the owner of the gear on Xbox live, the thief was asking for it.
Also, since we have no idea what kind of info was on that laptop, the thief likely also committed identity theft.