if these pranksters were REALLY clever, they'd only do this to DARE officals, off duty cops, drug company corporate CEO's and the editorial staff for certain right wing/pro-drug war newspapers.....

Prank? Hardly think so. This is just a clever as cops stopping people to offer rewards for good driving.

Godscrack: Prank? Hardly think so. This is just a clever as cops stopping people to offer rewards for good driving.

Oh I don't know....I think if some of the folks currently supporting the 'war on drugs' ended up on the wrong end of a 3am 'no knock' drug raid they might reconsider their opinion of police procedure.

Not that i'm advocating anything mind you. I'm just saying that most of middle america is fine with our police force becoming a para-military group just so long as THEY aren't the target(s) of police harassement.

They are still doing this? They were doing this last week when it was posted.

/green?

">

Wait, if this is greenlit news again, does that mean I get to celebrate Halloween all over again?

/There was this chick in a schoolgirl outfit from Battle Royale and I didn't get her number...

The defendants include Stuart Rosoff, a.k.a. Michael Knight, of Ohio; Jason Trowbridge, a.k.a. "Mr. Stoner," and his girlfriend, Angela Roberson, both from Houston; Chad Ward, a.k.a. "Dark Angel," of New York; and Guadalupe Santana Martinez, a.k.a. "Wicked Wizard," who has lived in Washington and Oregon.

Classic.

I would only do that with one of those pay as you go trac phones so that once the call was made, I could take the battery out of the phone, throw them both into a dumpster and walk away.

Just another day in the Nanny States of America.

I, for one, welcome our new militarized police force overlords.

Oh, and FTW:

Know who else liked armed, boot-wearing men?

I can top that

The real new hotness should be prank calling the SWAT team to taser retards

It'd be interesting to see this sort of prank pulled on real law-and-order wingnuts like Mitt Romney or Rudy Giuliani. It would be quite the learning experience for both candidates.

Great Janitor: I would only do that with one of those pay as you go trac phones so that once the call was made, I could take the battery out of the phone, throw them both into a dumpster and walk away.

Would you feel like Jason Bourne afterwards?

The defendants include Stuart Rosoff, a.k.a. Michael Knight, of Ohio; Jason Trowbridge, a.k.a. "Mr. Stoner," and his girlfriend, Angela Roberson, both from Houston; Chad Ward, a.k.a. "Dark Angel," of New York; and Guadalupe Santana Martinez, a.k.a. "Wicked Wizard," who has lived in Washington and Oregon.





Say it ain't so, Michael . . . say it ain't so.

I didn't know you could call a SWAT team...

/what's their number?

It's kinda sad that I imagined that headline as read by the "Good Idea, Bad Idea" voice from Animaniacs in my head.

Five years sounds about right.
I love how "sorry" they are after getting caught.

Great Janitor: I would only do that with one of those pay as you go trac phones so that once the call was made, I could take the battery out of the phone, throw them both into a dumpster and walk away.

They'd still trace the signal to that particular phone. From there it's serial number-->who/when manufactured it much like VIN on a car-->what store it was shipped to-->when it was sold--> which cashier sold it-->video of transaction--> your face is on record -->Doom On You-->PMITA prison.


/Cloned phone FTW

Great Janitor: I would only do that with one of those pay as you go trac phones so that once the call was made, I could take the battery out of the phone, throw them both into a dumpster and walk away.

Might want to remember the latex gloves and wipe the phone down with alcohol just to be safe... Yes, I know - watch too many crime shows - lol.

Its almost as easy to spoof caller ID information as it is to spoof the "from" email address on an email. Its scary that police use this as a way of trying to figure out where a call is coming from...

One Bad Apple: Great Janitor: I would only do that with one of those pay as you go trac phones so that once the call was made, I could take the battery out of the phone, throw them both into a dumpster and walk away.

They'd still trace the signal to that particular phone. From there it's serial number-->who/when manufactured it much like VIN on a car-->what store it was shipped to-->when it was sold--> which cashier sold it-->video of transaction--> your face is on record -->Doom On You-->PMITA prison.


/Cloned phone FTW

This - guess I need to watch more (or maybe even less) TV - lol

They'd still trace the signal to that particular phone.

...as long as you used a phone that was easily traceable. Get a used one, or from a flea market, and it all breaks down from there.

phillydrifter: I didn't know you could call a SWAT team...

/what's their number?

911

Please tell me that this is the kind of stain on ones record that ruins the criminal's life.

I wonder if the police had to pay for the damages they caused by breaking into the homes and the injuries they caused.

ironrat: Five years sounds about right.
I love how "sorry" they are after getting caught.

They 'regret' their involvement.

Well it's getting easier to set those dogs on people.

Last night someone called the cops on me. I was at Kroger at about 10 pm last night. I bought some candy for a friend and I to snack on while we played 'WWE: Smackdown vs Raw 2008' for the PS2. I was at the self checkout machine and the ones at Kroger are really picky. After having difficulty making the first one do what I wanted it to do, I got upset and switched to another empty machine and tried it. Meanwhile, I'm talking to my friend and talking to the machines (I always talk to the machines). The woman who watches the self checkouts watched me, saw me talking to the machines, and asked if I was okay. I said "Yeah, you're machines aren't cooperating, so I'm going to a checkout lane that operated by a human." and went to that one. I was there less than a minute then the sheriff who was standing outside walked up to me and told me that someone complained that I was saying offensive things inside the store, but no one was sure what I had said, but if I kept it up, he would arrest me for disorderly conduct. I told him that I was just trying to buy some candy and that I was talking to the self checkout machines. The cop said to just be quiet and when my business is done, to leave, and to consider medication if I'm having conversations with self checkout machines.

This morning I called Kroger, got the manager and complained to him about that biatch. I told him that I said nothing offensive, nothing threatening, and that I spend all day around machines and I developed the habit of talking to them. If the woman who runs the self checkout aisle considers me to be a threat because of that,or thinks that it's offensive, than maybe she needs to be transferred to a department in that store that's less customer oriented, or just out right fired for calling the cops on someone for not doing what she said that I doing. When he tried to justify it, I told him "She called the cop on me for something that I did not do. My friend told him that I didn't do it. Basically, as soon as the cop walked up to me, it was a false arrest based on what she thought the heard. If I chose to sue you, what ever I wanted, I'd get. Because of her, I will never set foot inside your store because of her because for all I know, she's your typical employee, and I don't like the people you've hired. I will also relay what happened to family and friends, over the internet and to your corporate office. I'm sure they will love to hear about how I was questioned by a cop because your clerk was eavesdropping instead of doing her job in YOUR store.

I hope that biatch gets fired.

WOBB: One Bad Apple: Great Janitor: I would only do that with one of those pay as you go trac phones so that once the call was made, I could take the battery out of the phone, throw them both into a dumpster and walk away.

They'd still trace the signal to that particular phone. From there it's serial number-->who/when manufactured it much like VIN on a car-->what store it was shipped to-->when it was sold--> which cashier sold it-->video of transaction--> your face is on record -->Doom On You-->PMITA prison.


/Cloned phone FTW

This - guess I need to watch more (or maybe even less) TV - lol

Then it sounds like all I have to do is to get rid of the phone. Or steal someone else's phone.

I, for one, think this is totally awesome.

Now I know what my boss, our client's pipsqueak local manager, several ex-girlfriends, and my former local auto insurance company representative are getting for Christmas.

ironrat Five years sounds about right.

Yes, we are all safer for it.
/Christ have mercy on us with people like you.

Weaver95: if these pranksters were REALLY clever, they'd only do this to DARE officals, off duty cops, drug company corporate CEO's and the editorial staff for certain right wing/pro-drug war newspapers.....

I bet the computer systems would flag the cops' addresses when the dispatcher typed them in. Might be able to get away with the last two, though.

Great Janitor, you need to see someone about that. The fact that you are trying to justify that you talk to machines is not normal. I would have called the cops too and told them that some insane person is talking to a self check out machine.

cirby: They'd still trace the signal to that particular phone.

...as long as you used a phone that was easily traceable. Get a used one, or from a flea market, and it all breaks down from there.

It gets somewhat harder(true dat) but it still leads to the original owner and now you have bet an awful lot of your free time on that guys: [1] inexplicable unwillingness to tell the cops "yeah I sold that phone at a garage sale..." or [2] his innability to recall ANYTHING about your appearance

It still ends with you face down, making sweet, sweet love to the hood of a Ford Crown Vic.

Followup question -- how many of the victims where either executed by the SWAT teams, or are currently serving prison sentences related to the raids?

Great Janitor: Last night someone called the cops on me. I was at Kroger at about 10 pm last night. I bought some candy for a friend and I to snack on while we played 'WWE: Smackdown vs Raw 2008' for the PS2. I was at the self checkout machine and the ones at Kroger are really picky. After having difficulty making the first one do what I wanted it to do, I got upset and switched to another empty machine and tried it. Meanwhile, I'm talking to my friend and talking to the machines (I always talk to the machines). The woman who watches the self checkouts watched me, saw me talking to the machines, and asked if I was okay. I said "Yeah, you're machines aren't cooperating, so I'm going to a checkout lane that operated by a human." and went to that one. I was there less than a minute then the sheriff who was standing outside walked up to me and told me that someone complained that I was saying offensive things inside the store, but no one was sure what I had said, but if I kept it up, he would arrest me for disorderly conduct. I told him that I was just trying to buy some candy and that I was talking to the self checkout machines. The cop said to just be quiet and when my business is done, to leave, and to consider medication if I'm having conversations with self checkout machines.

This morning I called Kroger, got the manager and complained to him about that biatch. I told him that I said nothing offensive, nothing threatening, and that I spend all day around machines and I developed the habit of talking to them. If the woman who runs the self checkout aisle considers me to be a threat because of that,or thinks that it's offensive, than maybe she needs to be transferred to a department in that store that's less customer oriented, or just out right fired for calling the cops on someone for not doing what she said that I doing. When he tried to justify it, I told him "She called the cop on me for something that I did not do. My friend told him that I didn't do it. Basically, as soon as the cop walked up to me, it was a false arrest based on what she thought the heard. If I chose to sue you, what ever I wanted, I'd get. Because of her, I will never set foot inside your store because of her because for all I know, she's your typical employee, and I don't like the people you've hired. I will also relay what happened to family and friends, over the internet and to your corporate office. I'm sure they will love to hear about how I was questioned by a cop because your clerk was eavesdropping instead of doing her job in YOUR store.

I hope that biatch gets fired.

I only carry on conversations with my armpit in private.

GoofingOff: Great Janitor, you need to see someone about that. The fact that you are trying to justify that you talk to machines is not normal. I would have called the cops too and told them that some insane person is talking to a self check out machine.

He's lucky he didn't get tazed, I think that is SOP in that situation.

I have found working phones at the town transfer station free pile before, but even if they are not "activated" they are still capable of making a call to the 911 system. this ability happens to be federally mandated. Therefore, that box they keep in the front of Staples, you know, the one for recycled cell phones, is a treasure trove of practical jokes involving swat teams.

kidsizedcoffin: I wonder if the police had to pay for the damages they caused by breaking into the homes and the injuries they caused.

They don't even have to do that if it was the PD that screwed up.

Approves!

Help-Im-Sober: I have found working phones at the town transfer station free pile before, but even if they are not "activated" they are still capable of making a call to the 911 system. this ability happens to be federally mandated. Therefore, that box they keep in the front of Staples, you know, the one for recycled cell phones, is a treasure trove of practical jokes involving swat teams.

Let me know how that works out for ya

Great Janitor: I was at the self checkout machine ...

There's your first problem. (and the store's first problem, actually) Those things are idiotic and problems waiting to happen. That they don't get people yelling at them on a regular basis is a miracle.


GoofingOff: The fact that you are trying to justify that you talk to machines is not normal.

Sure it is. Who hasn't cursed at machines/tools when they failed on you? When you work around machines a lot, things get anthropomorphized. It's human nature. Just look at all the damn image macros that float around here...

What's insane is that we have apparently gotten to the point where we think we should drug up anybody that acts in any manner other than a quiet, obedient consumer.

Todd300: Just another day in the Nanny States of America.

I, for one, welcome our new militarized police force overlords.

Oh, and FTW:

Know who else liked armed, boot-wearing men?

What the hell are you talking about? You didn't read the article, did you? Next time read it before you post, well, anything, instead of looking like a dumbass.

And FTA: Four men and a woman have pleaded guilty in Dallas federal court to charges that they used "spoofing" technology and other phone system intrusion methods to alter their caller ID information.

These idiots must feel pretty stupid -- going through all that trouble of masking their information only to get caught. Wow, great spoofing you got going on there. Really worked out well...

muzzrphochr: Approves!

Say, who is that ol' biddy anyway? I feel left out not getting the reference. I assume that's Demi Moore, but I don't know why you're posting her picture.

pdkl95: Great Janitor: I was at the self checkout machine ...

There's your first problem. (and the store's first problem, actually) Those things are idiotic and problems waiting to happen. That they don't get people yelling at them on a regular basis is a miracle.

I yell at those things all the time. I go out of my way to avoid them.


GoofingOff: The fact that you are trying to justify that you talk to machines is not normal.

Sure it is. Who hasn't cursed at machines/tools when they failed on you? When you work around machines a lot, things get anthropomorphized. It's human nature. Just look at all the damn image macros that float around here...

What's insane is that we have apparently gotten to the point where we think we should drug up anybody that acts in any manner other than a quiet, obedient consumer.

That was another thing that I thought about. I blame advertisers and drug companies/drug pushers for this.

Great Janitor: Last night someone called the cops on me. I was at Kroger at about 10 pm last night. I bought some candy for a friend and I to snack on while we played 'WWE: Smackdown vs Raw 2008' for the PS2. I was at the self checkout machine and the ones at Kroger are really picky. After having difficulty making the first one do what I wanted it to do, I got upset and switched to another empty machine and tried it. Meanwhile, I'm talking to my friend and talking to the machines (I always talk to the machines). The woman who watches the self checkouts watched me, saw me talking to the machines, and asked if I was okay. I said "Yeah, you're machines aren't cooperating, so I'm going to a checkout lane that operated by a human." and went to that one. I was there less than a minute then the sheriff who was standing outside walked up to me and told me that someone complained that I was saying offensive things inside the store, but no one was sure what I had said, but if I kept it up, he would arrest me for disorderly conduct. I told him that I was just trying to buy some candy and that I was talking to the self checkout machines. The cop said to just be quiet and when my business is done, to leave, and to consider medication if I'm having conversations with self checkout machines.

This morning I called Kroger, got the manager and complained to him about that biatch. I told him that I said nothing offensive, nothing threatening, and that I spend all day around machines and I developed the habit of talking to them. If the woman who runs the self checkout aisle considers me to be a threat because of that,or thinks that it's offensive, than maybe she needs to be transferred to a department in that store that's less customer oriented, or just out right fired for calling the cops on someone for not doing what she said that I doing. When he tried to justify it, I told him "She called the cop on me for something that I did not do. My friend told him that I didn't do it. Basically, as soon as the cop walked up to me, it was a false arrest based on what she thought the heard. If I chose to sue you, what ever I wanted, I'd get. Because of her, I will never set foot inside your store because of her because for all I know, she's your typical employee, and I don't like the people you've hired. I will also relay what happened to family and friends, over the internet and to your corporate office. I'm sure they will love to hear about how I was questioned by a cop because your clerk was eavesdropping instead of doing her job in YOUR store.

I hope that biatch gets fired.

Can someone post an internet tough buy image here? Let me sum up your story: it was the asscrack of the night, you were probably dressed in 'slummy' comfy clothes, talking to the machines, talking to your friend, and apparently unable to manage the machines. I'll also assume you were either drunk or high, so probably a bit slurred. What's more, you were probably talking about very violent things with your friend, since you 'were playing WWE: whatever'.

The 'biatch' thought you were a schitzophrenic (or other possibly violent mental disorder). I would also be surprised if the 'sheriff' in your story was anything more than a rentacop.

But ya, sure you'll never go to a Krogers again. Until your little 'look at me I'm important!!' spell is forgotten.

To point out something: it was never 'false imprisonment'. The rentacop asked you to not cause trouble, and peacefully finish your business then leave. By your own admission, he never threatened you, or offered any provocation other than 'please don't cause trouble here'.

If you were as idiotic and self important in real life as you were in that little spluge, then I could also imagine you saying something far more rude and demeaning to both the machines and 'the biatch', which would warrant her concern.

Ed Willy: I can top that

The real new hotness should be prank calling the SWAT team to taser retards

Wow. Just wow. I can't believe any special education school would use electric shocks for "behavior modification". Have we digressed to the Middle Ages? Maybe we should start blood letting again and rid these crazed people of their demons. In the wise words of Bill Hicks, "This is why I wish for nuclear holocaust in 2 minutes."

/Misanthrope.

The pranksters need to fry...fry I say. It's the only way to put a stop to all the BS.

/need to spread the word in pmita that they were informers working with the cops. lol

Great Janitor: Can someone post an internet tough buy image here?


Can someone also post a fail image while they are at it?

kroonermanblack: thought you were a schitzophrenic (or other possibly violent mental disorder)

You do realize that schizophrenics are rarely violent, right?