ZOMG. I caught a criminal!
There were so many post titles I thought about using. What follows is a true account of what happened to me. The writing style somewhat sterile since I really want to remember details if I need to testify.
And yes, topping this day off with a Wilco concert ( I bought the "Wiilco" shirt ) was just icing on the cake. Nevermind the special appearance of Bill Frisell.
Stupid Criminal Tricks, or How "Social Engineering" Can Be A Force Of Good:
August 20:
Expecting a package, I checked the UPS website and was pleased when it indicated that the Tivo had been delivered. The tracking info indicated it had been left with no signature taken. When Vivian arrived home the box was nowhere to be found, and none of the neighbors had received it for us.
I called UPS to confirm their delivery and they indicated it had been left at the doorstep without a signature. UPS advised me to contact the shipper to initiate a trace and a claim.
I called Tivo and gave them the situation. They marked to box as Lost/Stolen and created a case for their internal unit to investigate. At this point I was still hopeful a neighbor had taken it or it was placed on the wrong doorstep.
When I returned home at about 11pm, I walked around the block asking and looking, but nothing turned up.
August 21:
I contacted Tivo to make sure the case was being escalated and also asked for the serial number of the unit.
I then contacted the Seattle Police Department. It took several tries to contact them, and I finally resorted to calling 911 to make the report. The SPD were given the serial number, and I took their case number.
On a whim I checked Craigslist and found a listing for a Series 3 Tivo that looked highly suspicious. The ad was placed the morning of the 21rst and was the only Series 3 for sale in the Seattle area. The price was marked down to $450 and the seller stated they had to get rid of it quickly. I contacted the SPD again and reached a detective who told me to get an address or phone number and said the police would be willing to go with me to the seller, or if they seller insisted on meeting on a corner to provide a plain clothes unit.
I baited the seller using an email account not bearing my name and indicated I was strongly interested in the Tivo and was willing to buy today. After several emails and determining that it was most likely my Tivo, I arranged for a meeting near my office at 4:00pm and contacted the Seattle Police Department who transferred me to the Kirkland Police Department. I had told the seller I would be in a 3pm meeting to buy time for the police to arrive. While waiting I gave the officers the serial number and the entire backstory.
Two cars with one officer each arrived at about 3:15pm. The officer in command was named “Mann”. They told me they couldn’t stick around for long, so I called the seller who claimed to be “Bill Stram” and told him my meeting ended early and if he could come by now.
The police setup across the street in a position that allowed them full view, but were still hidden from the street. The sign of me adjusting my hat was agreed upon for them to rush in.
After a few delays and a few phone calls to get the seller to my office he finally arrived. I was waiting on the street and waved him down. He got out and approached without the Tivo, at which point I asked him if he had it. He walked back got it and placed it down in full view of the police waiting in townhouse parking lot across the street. I gave the sign and the police rushed in.
When the police came I heard him say something like “What’s this all about”, and I uttered something like “I’m sorry, but I was robbed”. He looked stunned and said something like “ You robbed?”, but it was muttered and hard to understand.
The Police started asking him questions. He claimed his name was “Derek Ostram”, not “Bill Stram”. They asked what he was doing. He claimed someone asked him to deliver the package. They asked who and he couldn’t produce a name. They asked him for an arrest record, and he started spouting out a slew of arrests.
At this point there were at least four officers. One of them picked up and opened the Tivo box on the hood one of the police cars and we checked the serial numbers. It was an exact match.
I was then asked to go back downstairs into my office to separate me from the suspect.
Some time passed and I recounted the story several times to amazed coworkers. At about 4:45 or so I returned to the parking lot and started to make a written statement. This is when Vivian showed up.
While I was in my office more police showed up, searched his car and found a crack pipe. Amazingly the officer was not going to push the drug charge. The suspect is now facing a count of Possession of Stolen Property 2 and a felony charge of Possession of Stolen Mail.
The sad part is that the Tivo is now evidence and the trial process could take up to a year. And frankly I don’t care since I got the satisfaction of getting the perp.
And of course, a sweet picture to go with it:
And yes, topping this day off with a Wilco concert ( I bought the "Wiilco" shirt ) was just icing on the cake. Nevermind the special appearance of Bill Frisell.
Stupid Criminal Tricks, or How "Social Engineering" Can Be A Force Of Good:
August 20:
Expecting a package, I checked the UPS website and was pleased when it indicated that the Tivo had been delivered. The tracking info indicated it had been left with no signature taken. When Vivian arrived home the box was nowhere to be found, and none of the neighbors had received it for us.
I called UPS to confirm their delivery and they indicated it had been left at the doorstep without a signature. UPS advised me to contact the shipper to initiate a trace and a claim.
I called Tivo and gave them the situation. They marked to box as Lost/Stolen and created a case for their internal unit to investigate. At this point I was still hopeful a neighbor had taken it or it was placed on the wrong doorstep.
When I returned home at about 11pm, I walked around the block asking and looking, but nothing turned up.
August 21:
I contacted Tivo to make sure the case was being escalated and also asked for the serial number of the unit.
I then contacted the Seattle Police Department. It took several tries to contact them, and I finally resorted to calling 911 to make the report. The SPD were given the serial number, and I took their case number.
On a whim I checked Craigslist and found a listing for a Series 3 Tivo that looked highly suspicious. The ad was placed the morning of the 21rst and was the only Series 3 for sale in the Seattle area. The price was marked down to $450 and the seller stated they had to get rid of it quickly. I contacted the SPD again and reached a detective who told me to get an address or phone number and said the police would be willing to go with me to the seller, or if they seller insisted on meeting on a corner to provide a plain clothes unit.
I baited the seller using an email account not bearing my name and indicated I was strongly interested in the Tivo and was willing to buy today. After several emails and determining that it was most likely my Tivo, I arranged for a meeting near my office at 4:00pm and contacted the Seattle Police Department who transferred me to the Kirkland Police Department. I had told the seller I would be in a 3pm meeting to buy time for the police to arrive. While waiting I gave the officers the serial number and the entire backstory.
Two cars with one officer each arrived at about 3:15pm. The officer in command was named “Mann”. They told me they couldn’t stick around for long, so I called the seller who claimed to be “Bill Stram” and told him my meeting ended early and if he could come by now.
The police setup across the street in a position that allowed them full view, but were still hidden from the street. The sign of me adjusting my hat was agreed upon for them to rush in.
After a few delays and a few phone calls to get the seller to my office he finally arrived. I was waiting on the street and waved him down. He got out and approached without the Tivo, at which point I asked him if he had it. He walked back got it and placed it down in full view of the police waiting in townhouse parking lot across the street. I gave the sign and the police rushed in.
When the police came I heard him say something like “What’s this all about”, and I uttered something like “I’m sorry, but I was robbed”. He looked stunned and said something like “ You robbed?”, but it was muttered and hard to understand.
The Police started asking him questions. He claimed his name was “Derek Ostram”, not “Bill Stram”. They asked what he was doing. He claimed someone asked him to deliver the package. They asked who and he couldn’t produce a name. They asked him for an arrest record, and he started spouting out a slew of arrests.
At this point there were at least four officers. One of them picked up and opened the Tivo box on the hood one of the police cars and we checked the serial numbers. It was an exact match.
I was then asked to go back downstairs into my office to separate me from the suspect.
Some time passed and I recounted the story several times to amazed coworkers. At about 4:45 or so I returned to the parking lot and started to make a written statement. This is when Vivian showed up.
While I was in my office more police showed up, searched his car and found a crack pipe. Amazingly the officer was not going to push the drug charge. The suspect is now facing a count of Possession of Stolen Property 2 and a felony charge of Possession of Stolen Mail.
The sad part is that the Tivo is now evidence and the trial process could take up to a year. And frankly I don’t care since I got the satisfaction of getting the perp.
And of course, a sweet picture to go with it: