Elderly Amish Man Caught on Film With Prostitute, Blackmailed
When a 75-year-old Amish widower slept with a prostitute, he -- we feel certain -- felt pretty bad about it the next morning. As if that guilt weren't enough for the old man, the prostitute and her boyfriend demanded $67,000 from him, claiming that they had filmed the scene with wall-mounted cameras and would upload the recording to the Internet. The pair was later arrested and, we can only imagine, the Amish man abhorred technology more than ever.
Bank Robber Gets Away With the Help of Craiglist
In October, a bank robber -- wearing a safety vest, blue shirt, face mask and goggles -- eluded police with the help of Craiglist. Just outside the bank, while the robbery was in progress, stood a group of men who were responding to a Craiglist day labor opportunity. As the advertisement required, they were all wearing safety vests, blue shirts, face masks and goggles.
Nude New Zealander Arrested After Responding to Fake Sexy Text Message
Late in 2007, a Wellington, New Zealand man received a racy text message from two anonymous "ladies," giving him only an address and a request that he show up naked. Well, he indeed showed up naked... at the home of one appalled, unsuspecting New Zealander. Both the nude Romeo and the sadistic texter were arrested, though neither were prosecuted.
Fake Craiglist Ad Costs Man Most of What He Owns
Last Spring, a post appeared on an Oregon Craigslist board stating that the owner of a specific house was leaving all of his worldly possessions (still in said house) to whoever wanted them. When homeowner Robert Salisbury rushed home -- on a tip from a woman suspicious about the offer of a free horse -- he found his house being ransacked by 30 strangers. We suggest he take that horse and collect some vengeance Clint Eastwood-style.
17-Year-Old Jailed for Stealing Virtual 'Furniture'
When a 17-year-old Dutch boy hacked into several accounts on the Second Life-style site 'Habbo' in 2007, the the law got involved. The boy was discovered to have stolen $5,800 worth of virtual furniture and knick-knacks. Apparently, crime -- whether actual or virtual -- does not pay.
Phishers Going After Your Phones in New 'Vishing' Trend
Over the past year, sneaky spammers have begun to forsake the worn-out territory of e-mail in favor of cell phones' fertile frontier. The result? "Vishing." Get it? Voice mail phishing. It might be more ominous if it didn't sound like a James Bond villain saying, "Wishing."
Burglars Break Into Restaurant, Steal HDTV, Leave Money / Food Behind
Around Halloween of last year, a truckload of thieves drove into -- that's right, into -- a Pennsylvania Mexican restaurant, where they -- apparently uninterested in the cash register -- stole a mid-grade 47-inch HDTV and fled the scene. We've all heard about how this generation is lacking in ambition, but this generation's thieves, too?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
patrickgawne said 6:24AM on 10-01-2008
I am constantly amazed at the stupidity of people with gps devices.
There could be a psycho carjacker with a gun to my head and I would still never drive down a set of RR tracks.
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riversidelimo said 6:28AM on 10-01-2008
Being sketical,I drove this same route yesterday (9/30) to 333 North Bedford Rd. using my Maggelan AND Becker GPS. Neither GPS told me to turn anywhere near these train tracks.
When you get off the exit, it tells you, "turn right in 1/2 mile" (onto Rt 117).
I'd like to see this gentleman's GPS.
He's full of it.
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hit man said 12:54PM on 10-01-2008
How do you know what directions was given to his GPS. You cannot say that without knowing what directions was entered in his GPS. Dont make up conclusions without the facts
msisis62 said 1:16PM on 10-01-2008
since most GPS's get their maps from mapquest, or other online map services, it goes to show those services are not 100% accurate either. I once had Mapquest trying to drive me literally in circles. Luckily I wasn't dumb enough to fall for it. If I was one of these people, I'd probably still be driving in circles!
My house isn't even on some GPS - why? Because they have old maps - you kinda have to update them in order to get them to work right, and most probably don't even do that. Mapquest didn't add my house until about 3 years ago, so that tells me where they were getting the maps (the house has been here for 7 years).
JTNT said 7:10AM on 10-01-2008
My husband said, ": I think he bought his GPS from Acme (the company that supplied the Coyote). It makes me wonder how a lot of people (not everyone) managed to drive anywhere before GPS Whatever happened to an atlas? Common sense? Oh well....live and learn.
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maudie said 7:50AM on 10-01-2008
The man should not be allowed to ride a bike much less drive a motorized vehicle. I guess he will sue the manufacturer of the GPS and win millions of dollars.
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escem59 said 8:09AM on 10-01-2008
Stupid is as stupid does,and those who put total faith in an inanimate gadget, instead of using the brain in conjunction with the device, only puts innocents into their equation of intellectual suicide and debauchery of our social aptitude.GET REAL PEOPLE,WAKE UP! Technology exist to fix stupidity,if you have the money to do so.
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Larry Vincent said 8:10AM on 10-01-2008
"My GPS made me do it , officer! "Otherwise I wouldn't have traveling the wrong way on that one-way street." Duh!!!
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Starry said 8:14AM on 10-01-2008
Oh, anyone knows that there may be errors in databases. They are inpur by humans... and humans err. BUT anyone THAT STUPID... to NOT use their common sense along with their GPS? Should not be DRIVING!! ... or procreating further!
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jen said 8:25AM on 10-01-2008
i do feel sad these people have lost thier lives. if my gps told me to drive across train tracks theres no way i would do it. not only do you put yourself in danger you put other people on the trains in danger if they slam into your car. i mean if your gps told you to drive through someones house or walk out of your car and jump off the bridge would you do it? no
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leeann said 10:31AM on 10-01-2008
these people did not die
Fred Golden said 3:56AM on 2-28-2009
If your GPS told you to take a long drive off a short pier. would you be stupid enough to do it?
It is called the Darwin Therory.
If you are that stupid, then go and kill yourself. Just don't put others in danger by driving onto a railroad track.
dangomez322 said 8:34AM on 10-01-2008
stupid is as stupid does!! gps or not,why would anyone drive on railroad tracks? this is unbelievable! take away their driver's liscense before they kill innocent people.
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Renee said 8:38AM on 10-01-2008
A while back a lady from out of town, using a GPS, was driving at night in the town where I live, and it led her into the river! Lucky for her, she came out of it okay. I realize it was at night, but I still don't quite understand how someone can be led to drive onto train tracks or into a river. Makes you wonder if there are some blind people using these things to drive around:)
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mrsgoodbuy said 8:41AM on 10-01-2008
How dense can someone be? It isn't rocket sciencce to realize that you should not be driving along on train tracks. It sounds like some of his intellegence genes drown in the gene pool.
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Condor said 8:45AM on 10-01-2008
Once again, natural stupidity trumps artficial intelligence! :)
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Bob said 8:47AM on 10-01-2008
When I read ridiculous stories like this I cant believe how people in this world have become such feeble-minded idiots that they have to have such things as GPS devices to get to where theyre going. What ever happened with using a road map or calling for directions to where you have to go? Its hard to believe how we survived all these years without this great technology.
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jaguar66 said 9:22AM on 10-01-2008
If this is a repeat error -- what brand GPS is this and what map database is it using (the real cause)?
In my experience, some of the map database files are two or more years out of date at the time the pricey 'update' download is available to customers. There doesn't seem to be any accountability.
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KK said 10:14PM on 10-01-2008
I agree, we definitely need to find out GPS brands and programs. Twice in the same place is a bit crazy....
And I'm from the area and I can say that these train tracks have been there way before GPS technology was invented. The GPS map shouldn't be out of date.
Although, I guess, I have seen what you're saying. Mapquest always gives me directions from my development to the main road that don't even exist anymore, and haven't existed for many years.
If they just plain get it wrong from the start, we're all screwed..
Bill said 9:32AM on 10-01-2008
I have been working in the GPS / GIS industry for over 15 years and it boils down to GPS is a tool.
Also GIGO "Garbage in Garbage out". The folks that created the maps must have gotten incorrect data or misread the aerials they were working with or worst simply asked for data from other sources and didn't check it out before pushing it out.
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