Lewis Hamilton and friend targeted in computer blackmail plot
JonB
Not stolen though? #
Posted Tuesday 13th May 2008 11:40 GMT
"Sutil said: "Somebody took the hard disc out of a computer my father sold on, recognised me and wanted to make some money out of it. But after four days they caught him." "
Sounds like the guy bought it legitimately...
Shinobi87
eh! #
Posted Tuesday 13th May 2008 11:42 GMT

am i wrong here. but if someone throws a pc away and i go ooo a pc and happen to find data on it im not commiting "data theft" just like if i found a letter on the street and went "whats this?" and it turned out to be gordon browns credt card statement. also since when is selling something to a 3rd party black mail unless you try and extort something from the origional owner? and also an honest editor? whats the world coming too! i bet the star would have bought it!
david soponski
Data Protection Act? #
Posted Tuesday 13th May 2008 12:18 GMT
I'm pretty sure selling on somone else's data, and advertising it as such, IS covered under the data protection act (If i'm worng, i'd be happy to be corrected). It doesn't matter who you sell it too, your still 'knowingly' seling on somone elses data too a third party.
The Editor who tipped off the police will get a story out of this anyway, and by taking the less scandelous option, may come out of this looking like he's got some journalistic integrity. Win-Win for him realy.
Anonymous Coward
Surely #
Posted Tuesday 13th May 2008 12:18 GMT

Sutil was the one potentially targeted, it was after all his computer?
For God's sake, don't go all ITV on us, El Reg. Lewis Hamilton isn't the be all and end all of F1 :D
Bob Gender
Dieter?! #
Posted Tuesday 13th May 2008 12:31 GMT
Quick, Call Stefan Eriksson! We've found his driver!
Ideala2
@Surely #
Posted Tuesday 13th May 2008 12:35 GMT
I'm probably being cynical and skeptical but it's about page hits, adverts and the like - just like ITV.
If the title said "Sutil and friend targetted in blackmain plot" I probably wouldn't have known who he was, not cared... and left it at that. The Lewis angle will make people read it. Still... "and friend" is a bit cruel.
That and also, the magazine probably cared more about Hamiliton too.
Anonymous Coward
journalistic integrity #
Posted Tuesday 13th May 2008 12:58 GMT

Now there is an oxymoron...
Mick Sheppard
Crime? #
Posted Tuesday 13th May 2008 13:52 GMT

I don't see a crime here. The disk was bought legally not stolen. The information was on the disk, due to an incomplete wipe. The accused offered the disk to the Editor of a magazine in return for cash, doesn't sound too different from the Paps. No attempt to extort anything from Sutil or Hamilton, so its not blackmail. No theft. No crime.
Of course IAMAL but I would expect a lawyer to have a field day with this.
Alan
@Data Protection Act? #
Posted Tuesday 13th May 2008 13:52 GMT
Seeing as this all happened in Germany I'm fairly sure that this isn't covered by the DPA.
On the other hand it may be covered by the German equivalent.
Duncan Hothersall
@Mick Sheppard #
Posted Tuesday 13th May 2008 15:04 GMT

IAMAL? I am mostly a lawyer? I AM a lawyer? I am Mick, a lawyer? I am Al?
Vernon Lloyd
Take 1 HDD a decent drill, and hey presto #
Posted Tuesday 13th May 2008 15:14 GMT

One totally screwed platter. Why do some IT managers think it is OK to 'throw' a 'wiped' HDD away
Stupid, just stupid.
Jim
Re: Surely #
Posted Tuesday 13th May 2008 15:25 GMT

Agreed. The title is completely misleading, when I first read this on Friday (http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/67267 - take yur time eh?) there wasn't even a mention of Hamilton.
Huw Davies
@Jim #
Posted Tuesday 13th May 2008 18:37 GMT

It didn't get a mention on my usual F1 haunt, so shoot me ;)
Huw Davies
Damn @ @Jim #
Posted Tuesday 13th May 2008 19:48 GMT
Gave my name away. That's my rep ruined ;)
Anonymous Coward
Hamilton?! Urgh it's like James Allen reporting this... #
Posted Wednesday 14th May 2008 08:36 GMT

The story is about Adrian Sutil!
Scott Mckenzie
Lewis #
Posted Wednesday 14th May 2008 09:33 GMT
Too true, it made me read it as i like to see things go wrong for the over-hyped not as good as everyone makes out driver.....
Shame he wasn't involved in any Nazi orgies or something and there were pictures on it as that would have given the press a dilemma and a half... golden boy in doing something wrong shocker!!
Chizo Ejindu
Why all the Hamilton Hate? #
Posted Tuesday 20th May 2008 12:23 GMT

I don't understand this, why are so many people so vitriolic in their dislike of Hamilton? It's not his fault the media have made a huge circus of the fact he's the first black man to drive in F1, and like it or not he is a very very good driver, if still a little green around the gills. Schumacher was no different when he started, the raw talent was obviously there but just needed a couple of years to properly bed into F1.
Don't hate the man, hate the media for the ridiculously disproportionate hype they have built up..