back to article X-Box 360 theft suspect busted after online gaming sesh

An alleged X-Box 360 thief was tracked down after he forgot to disable the game console's auto sign-in feature before hopping on the net. Jeremy Gilliam, 22, from the Bronx in New York City, was arrested after the victim of a theft noticed a gametag he had set up in a recently stolen console had appeared online. The victim …

COMMENTS

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Up

    Well done MS!

    Credit to Microsoft for helping out with this and getting the xbox back.

    I had an iPod touch stolen (costing a lot more than an xbox). I have the serial number and so will apple when it connects to itunes. Will they let me know / do anything at all about it... of course not!

  2. Daniel Harris 1
    Grenade

    The UK

    Anybody think that if this happened in the UK the police would bother to follow it up?

    1. Greg Moseley
      FAIL

      Re: The UK

      To be fair, our local force did. Although it was a laptop with Logmein installed. 3 months after it was stolen it was still being used, and after supplying the police with 20+ IP addresses when it logged in they raided a house and found it. Problem was that the person at the end of it was a 14 year old girl who 'bought it from a car boot'

  3. Graham Marsden
    FAIL

    Definitely...

    ... Epic Fail!

  4. James O'Shea

    felony stupidity

    This twit isn't quite as bad as the idiot who took a pic of himself not knowing that the device was set to call home, but he's close.

    The prosecutor should tack on some extra time for felony stupidity.

  5. Sir Runcible Spoon

    Sir

    Excellent news. One less scumbag to nick our Christmas goodies :)

    Now, can you predict what would have happened if this had occurred in the Uk ?

    Plod:"Here you go Sir"

    Law Abiding tax paying citizen:"What's this?"

    Plod:"It's your incident number so you can give it to your insurance company"

    Law Abiding tax paying citizen:"But you could catch this person and stop them doing it to others

    and I might actually get my stuff back!"

    Plod:"NEXT!"

  6. Anonymous Coward
    FAIL

    "pwned"

    nuff said.

  7. James O'Brien
    Joke

    Looked at comments posted on the times

    And found this gem:

    "if he had stayed in school he would know that all peripheral equip and p.c.s have a mech address which requires the isp to connect on the public domain, hence big brother now just puts a program on that looks for you from the comfort of their work station."

    I didnt know there was a "mech address" on computer electronics. Now if only that elusive Mechwarrior would pay his damn rent I would be set.

    Kudos to MS for assisting in retrieval of this device though.

  8. Juan Inamillion
    Thumb Up

    @The UK

    Really. UK plod would take the attitude "well it's only a fucking games machine, why bother following it up when we could be knocking seven kinds of shit out of some environmentalists".

    The US cops, otoh, recognised that if the perp has half-inched one thing, it's likely he's got more swag in his drum.

    Blimey guv, caught bang to rights and no mistake.

  9. Frostbite

    Chavbox 360

    At last a good use for the XBox 360.

    Joking aside, well done to Microsoft and boo to Apple

  10. Deadlock Victim

    I like cake

    That's one less criminal idiot on the streets. Well, for a few days anyway...

  11. Anonymous Coward
    Pint

    Shock and Awe

    Cops doing what cops ought to be doing? Color me surprised.

  12. Winkypop Silver badge
    Big Brother

    Honeytrap Chips

    Add a phone-home chip to all internet connecting kit.

    To be activated by the actual owner upon purchase (optional).

    Once nicked the stolen kit 'screams' out for the cops.....

    A bit like talkie-toaster from RD.

    "Help, help! I've been stolen, Help! *

    * Are you sure you wouldn't like some toasted bread products, etc....

    1. Marvin the Martian
      FAIL

      re: phone-home chip in all online equipment

      If the chips are as removable/overwriteable as they should be (hello, second hand market?), they're as much protection as there is now --- only the stupid will sign on with it.

      So what's won by adding this backdoor?

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Joke

        re: re: phone-home chip in all online equipment

        Simples, you can't sell it 2nd hand cos you don't own it, you merely have a licence to use it :)

  13. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Not in the UK, they don't

    Huh. The exact same thing happened to me in the UK - watched my Gamertag sign onto my freshly stolen console, and both the police and Microsoft treated me like I was retarded for even suggesting they could potentially track the suspect as a result.

  14. Anonymous Coward
    Badgers

    How about finding the Facebook burglar then?

    So the police can trace this connection to retrieve some games console, but that escaped convict who keeps posting on facebook can't be found? Is he using Tor or something?

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