Net Crimes & Misdemeanors

If you or someone you know are Asian-American, live in the Los Angeles, California area and are a victim of online scams, phishing, etc, please take part in a focus group that will pay you to attend. The date is January 12, 2011 in West Los Angeles. If interested, email me at whoa@haltabuse.org with your contact info.

I couldn't make this up if I tried. . .And he was watching "America's Most Wanted, too" Man in Wash. pushes stolen TV past police station http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101228/ap_ on_fe_st/us_odd_stolen_tv Prosecutors in Washington state say a man was arrested when he was caught wheeling a 50-inch television in a shopping cart right past a police station. Seattlepi.com reports that a bystander called 911 to report that she saw a man grab the TV out of the back of a delivery truck, load it in the cart and start pushing it away. An Auburn police officer heard dispatchers relay the call as he was pulling into the police station parking lot ­ and then he saw the man, dressed entirely in camouflage, walking by with the cart. Charging documents say that when the officer asked 22-year-old Johnathon D. Barnes what he was doing, he said he bought the TV from and friend ­ and then he ran. The officer caught up with Barnes and arrested him. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ...

I couldn't make this up if I tried. . .How sweet! Santa lends a knee for surprise marriage proposal http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101220/ap_ on_fe_st/us_odd_santa_surprise Santa has conspired with a love-struck California man by lending a knee for a surprise marriage proposal. Jenny Hoang took a friend's boys to see Santa at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa on Sunday, and she was helping the kids off Santa's lap when Old St. Nick waved her back. Santa told the 27-year-old she's been very good and there's a special gift for her. Her boyfriend of nine years, Jonathan Nguyen, suddenly emerged, got down on a knee and proposed. She said yes, then slid off Santa's lap and kneeled down so Jonathan could slip a ring on her finger. The groom-to-be, who is also 27, told the Orange County Register he secretly enlisted the help of the shopping mall and Santa to pull off the surprise. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Visit WHOA on the...

I couldn't make this up if I tried. . .Yeah, he looks human Man buckles in 'Diego' doll to drive in HOV lane http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101210/ap_ on_fe_st/us_odd_hov_bogus_passenger Diego was a model passenger, sitting quietly with seat belt buckled, never fidgeting. But it was the huge, unblinking eyes that made a Washington state trooper suspicious. The state patrol says troopers were stationed Nov. 29 along an Interstate 405 onramp, pulling over people who were driving in the high occupancy lane with only one person in the car. That's when the odd "passenger" drew one trooper's notice. The patrol says the trooper stopped the car and found the driver had placed a stuffed Diego doll from the Nickelodeon children's show "Go, Diego, Go!" in the front passenger seat. The unidentified driver said he was late for work so he drove off with his daughter's doll so he could use the HOV lane. The driver was cited for the HOV lane violation. * *...

I couldn't make this up if I tried. . .Udderly ridiculous Minn. teens accused of stealing at least 17 calves http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101204/ap_ on_fe_st/us_odd_stolen_calves Two teenage boys from central Minnesota are accused of stealing at least 17 calves to start their own dairy farm. Authorities this week arrested a 19-year-old from Rothsay and a 16-year-old from Barnesville. Stearns County Sheriff John Sanner says deputies received a tip that led them to 17 calves and eventually the teens. The calves are believed to have been stolen from three counties: Douglas, Stearns and Todd. Investigators say the teens told them they wanted to start their own dairy farm. They say the teens planned to keep the heifers and sell the bulls, splitting the profits. The calves have been returned to their owners. The case is being forwarded to prosecutors for possible theft and burglary charges. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Visit WHOA on the web ...

I couldn't make this up if I tried. . .Gotta love stupid criminals Phone call from police lobby leads to arrest http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101125/ap_ on_fe_st/us_odd_phone_call_arrest The young man apparently just wanted to phone his parents. But his mistake came when he made the call from the Eugene, Ore., police station lobby. Police say an officer working a desk assignment Wednesday recognized the man from surveillance footage of Tuesday's robbery of a Wells Fargo bank branch. The officer notified detectives, who arrested the man nearby. Police say 23-year-old Nathan Alan Bramlage was booked into the Lane County Jail for investigation of second-degree robbery and violating probation. Detective Ralph Burks tells the Register-Guard, "I just assume that he didn't believe that we'd recognize him." * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Visit WHOA on the web at http://www.haltabuse.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ...

I am very mad at Walmart. They advertised a $198 HDTV starting at 5am online *and* offline, so I got up at 430 am to order it & it was ALREADY sold out. I couldn't believe it. I went back to the ad and doublechecked - it stated 5 am was the starting time for the sale. So I fired off an email to Walmart telling them how disappointed I was: " I got up specifically at 430 am on Black Friday to order the Emerson 32" LCD HDTV for $198 when the sale was *supposed* to start at 5 am and your site claimed the TV was already out of stock online. How can that be, when the sale wasn't supposed to start until 5 am? That is not only a ripoff, but a bait and switch. I am very upset about this.: and that I felt it was a ripoff and bait & switch. Their response (which shows they did NOT read my original message: "Thank you for contacting Walmart.com regarding the event day sale. 1. Online sales start simultaneously for the entire country, however, these sales start at 12 ...

I couldn't make this up if I tried. . .Go faster! Robbery suspect tries to flee on lawnmower http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101118/ap_ on_fe_st/us_odd_lawnmower_escape Police in South Carolina say a man attempted a slow getaway by lawnmower after robbing a convenience store. Aiken County sheriff's deputies told The Aiken Standard the man left the store on a riding lawnmower Thursday morning but didn't get far before he was arrested. Capt. Troy Elwell says Ricky New has been charged with assault and battery, first degree and armed robbery. Investigators say the suspect beat a store clerk with a stick during the robbery. New was being held at the Aiken County jail. It wasn't yet known if he has an attorney. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Visit WHOA on the web at http://www.haltabuse.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * NEWS TO USE AND PASS ALONG! (DISCLAIMER: The following news items wer...

Woot - one of the best articles about cyberstalking that I've been quoted for: http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/cyberstalkers-living-with-fear-every-minute-of-the-day-2423762.html

I couldn't make this up if I tried. . .Stupid criminal NH vanity plate on getaway car IDs robbery suspect http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101114/ap_ on_fe_st/us_odd_vanity_plate_arrest Police say a New Hampshire woman charged with robbing a pharmacy wasn't hard to find: Her name was on the license plate of the getaway car. Police say a motorist watched the woman flee from a Rite Aid parking lot in Manchester. The witness also reported seeing the woman toss items from her car Friday morning. The vanity plate read "B-USHER." Police tell WCVB-TV that the car was registered to 43-year-old Bonnie Usher, who was arrested at her home. Police recovered stolen money and found a ski mask tossed from the car. An official at the Hillsborough County Jail says Usher was being held Sunday night on $60,000 bail. The jail's paperwork did not indicate whether she had retained a lawyer. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Visit WHOA on the web at...

I couldn't make this up if I tried. . .Wow Sheriff: NC man hid under home as ex-wife slept http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101104/ap_ on_fe_st/us_odd_hiding_ex_husband Breaking up seems hard to do for a Rockingham County man. The sheriff's department said Allen Turner faces a breaking and entering charge after deputies found him in a crawlspace under his former mother-in-law's house. Authorities said Turner's ex-wife was staying at the house and he tried to awaken her Thursday morning by throwing acorns at a glass. A sheriff's deputy said Jessica Turner then got a text message saying Allen Turner left his car in the driveway because he ran out of gas. She discovered he'd actually entered the house through an unlocked window. Allen Turner then called his ex-wife and said he got a ride and left, but deputies searched and found him under the house. Allen Turner was jailed under $1,500 bond. It wasn't clear whether he had an attorney. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ...

RIP SSgt Christopher Hitchcock 11/06/2006 & his dad, William 11/05/2006 - I lost two important men in my life, one day after the other.

Phoebe and I left the house around 3 pm to go to Londonderry Middle School (in New Hampshire) for their "More Than Words" conference for parents and 7th grade students. When we got there, I set up my laptop, then Phoebe and I roamed the halls, letting students and parents pet Phoebe and just being sociable. Everyone stopped to say hello to her. When asked, I told them she was the Cyber Crime Dog and one man asked if she sniffed out Spam. I laughed and said she'd eat it! I guess what she does is sniff out cyberbullies! Maybe that should be her tag line! We ended up doing two talks - about 10 parents and students in each, which wasn't a lot, but better than none. Phoebe roo-rooed on command for a biscuit (she's good at doing "inside voice" now) and I let some of the kids give her a biscuit! She was really good for both talks, but by the end of the second one, you could hear her whining (quietly). We all laughed at that. One girl loved her so much, she had ...

you know, if you're media and you ask me to help you find victims willing to go on TV, then get mad at me for posting your contact info when you didn't tell me not to, you can bite me.

I couldn't make this up if I tried. . .Doh! Man gets 5-day sentence for theft caught in photo http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101031/ap_ on_fe_st/us_odd_family_photo_thief A man captured in a vacationing family's photograph as he stole their bag in front of the Wisconsin State Capitol received a five-day jail sentence and a nearly $500 fine. The Wisconsin State Journal reported Saturday that Glenn Lambright was given credit for time already served after pleading no contest to misdemeanor theft earlier this month. Vacationer John Myers of Bloomfield, N.J., had set the self-timer on his camera and hustled into the frame with his wife and two children in August. Meanwhile, a man grabbed a bag containing Myers' wallet and other items. After discovering the bag missing, Myers checked his camera and found a photo with a man picking up the bag in the background. Myers showed the photo to police, who recognized the man and tracked him down. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ...

A writer for Rolling Stone magazine is looking for an online victim, male or female, 18-25 years old, who would be willing to be interviewed about what happened to them online. Contact WHO@ President, Jayne Hitchcock, at whoa@haltabuse.org for more info.

I couldn't make this up if I tried. . .Ahhhh, dumbass Break-in suspect reports his car was stolen http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101021/ap_ on_fe_st/us_odd_suspect_calls_cops A Connecticut man was arrested after police said he burglarized three condos then called officers to report that the car he allegedly used in the break-ins had been stolen. Police said 33-year-old Geraldo "Tito" Figueroa, of Waterbury, reported late Monday to Fairfield police that his car had been taken. An officer responding to the burglaries in Old Saybrook, Conn., just hours before said he had spotted Figueroa fleeing the sceene with a pillow case full of items. Police said a car linked to Figueroa was left at the condo complex with items inside that had been reported stolen there. Figueroa was arraigned Wednesday on burglary and larceny charges and was ordered held on $300,000 cash bond. It was unclear if Figueroa had hired an attorney. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ...