back to article Accused phone thief snared after phone sends pic to victim

A Philadelphia teenager turned himself into police after his self-portrait was captured on a cell phone he's accused of stealing during an armed robbery. Suspect's self-portrait Cook turned himself after this self-portrait was sent to police The incriminating photo showed 18-year-old Kadeem Cook holding a large handgun to …

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  1. Blain Hamon
    Paris Hilton

    Self Incrimination? There's an App for that!

    Just kidding. iSelfIncriminate was rejected from the App Store.

    Actually, what phone was used? I doubt it was an iPhone and the articles are silent on it.

  2. RTNavy
    Thumb Up

    MOM

    His mom probably hit him with the gun after seeing the report

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Looks like a BB gun

    That looks like an old Daisy CO2 powered BB gun. Either way he's an idiot.

  4. pjfranke

    Hope he pumped it up first

    I've got a "large handgun" like the one pictured by our shining star here. Sure, it's physically large, and a bit intimidating if you're not familiar with it, but it's not overly dangerous. Mine was built by Crosman, the BB gun company, and is a single shot pump action air pistol. If he had pumped it up several pumps, sure it could do some damage, but a "real gun" it ain't. Pretty dumb to use something like that for armed robbery.

    http://www.pyramydair.com/p/crosman-1377-pump-pistol.shtml

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Linux

    Yep thats a air pistol

    Crossman 1377 I own one too.

    I believe that under the Firearms act cos of it's muzzle velocity it is classed as a firearm and you do need a licence. I don't have one. Hence AC.

  6. Gary F

    Phone zapped photo home? Really?

    What phone can be told to automatically "zap" every photo taken back to the user? Presumably it emailed the photo. But how? Every phone make/model I've used keeps the image stored locally until you physically tell it to "zap" it somewhere else.

    I want that phone!

    1. Fal
      Thumb Up

      myphone

      Actually, you can do that with Windows Mobile. if you install the Microsoft MyPhone service you can can setup a schedule to sync photos, music, documents, contacts, textmessages etc.

      when you login it looks a bit like the live spaces interface.

      you can set it up to report its location back to you if lost (or stolen too i guess)

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      I'm guessing Android

      I think I saw an app that has this functionality during ADC2. I skipped it since well - I'm a nerd and don't go outside.

      I've played with Android dev, and don't think it'd be too hard to do on it, using the camera is simple enough, then it's just a case of background uploading.

      And just looking on the Market, there are a few apps: iTookThisOnMyPhone automatically posts photos and videos taken to sites like Facebook, Flickr, Picasa etc.

      I've not used a BlackBerry or iPhone, so no idea how doable it is on those platforms.

    3. asiaseen

      The cops won't like it

      Over the last few weeks I have been thinking how useful a camera that phoned home would be in those encounters with the "friendly" police at demos. Or when stopped for being too tall/terrorist/face don't fit/etc."Delete the pics officer? Yes, certainly, officer. Three bags full, officer" Tee hee.

  7. Moss Icely Spaceport
    FAIL

    Oh dear...

    Why do Americans love their guns so much?

    1. Eddy Ito
      Big Brother

      Really?

      It seems you haven't been paying any attention to what and who has been running the US for the past 50 odd years. If nothing else, government is good for instilling fear and distrust in about half the population.

    2. LINCARD1000
      Troll

      @Moss Icely Spaceport

      ...for the same reason certain people of a specific miniature genitalia demographic like large/expensive sports vehicles.

    3. Hud Dunlap
      Paris Hilton

      We don't love our guns

      We find them useful. Some people put food on the table with them. And when times are tough and you need to feed the kids it doesn't matter if it is hunting season or not. We protect our homes with them. And it is normally enough for people to know we have them. Look at the looting after Katrina in New Orleans and look at the lack of looting in Galveston. Same amount of damage but in Texas we keep our guns.

      Sure you can hook up video surveillance equipment and monitor from work (IT angle), but that only helps afterwards, maybe. If they don't steal the equipment too. Or maybe the alarm company will call the police for you. Average response time for a 911 call in Dallas is fifteen minutes.

      It is idiots like the guy in the picture who give gun owners a bad name. And he is going to plea bargain out before the cop finishes his paperwork.

      Paris, because with all of her money and security equipment she still got robbed.

      1. Seventh of 7th

        Carpetbaggers

        I think you'll find that the worst looting was carried out by corporates, free marketeers and their cronies in the administration. In fact the same types who brought us global financial meltdown (and continue to do so). I imagine it's quite difficult to steal whole neighbourhoods but they seem to have managed it.

        For a more in depth explanation see here:

        http://www.naomiklein.org/articles/2007/12/shock-doctrine-action-new-orleans

        Your guns won't help you against that lot.

        I will concede, however, that the guy in the article is an idiot.

    4. Dana W
      FAIL

      @Moss Icely Spaceport

      Why do Brits like being abused by their own police and being stabbed by Chavs so much?

      Weapons laws only disarm the law abiding. The criminals simply don't care.

      1. Ben Rosenthal
        FAIL

        @ stabbed by chavs

        well it's lucky we don't have your insane lack of gun control or we'd be getting shot by them too.

        How dumb are you pro gun people that you will spout this rubbish in the comments of a story, where an American version of a chav poses with a gun that he used to rob someone?!?

        and are you really suggesting that in the event of problem with a member of the local constabulary, that I should pull a gun on them?!?!

        Good luck with that!

        1. multipharious

          Switzerland's "Insane" Gun Laws

          Sorry Mate, but look at Switzerland. All males are required by law to serve in the military with periodic training, and they keep a rifle in their home. That means it is one of the most heavily armed countries in the world per citizen. Their gun crime is non-existent. This is owing to other factors such as homogenous society, prosperity, strong education, and high standard of living. So high gun crime is not related to stricter laws restricting or mandating their possession, but unfortunately there is an apparent correlation with restriction since as violent crime tends to increase then historically the more guns are restricted (outside of political restriction preceding genocide.) Question: is this due to the opportunistic nature of criminals? Answer that yourself. Oddly when Concealed Weapons Permits are issued another trend appears: lower violent crime in the State. Related? Answer that yourself. If you walk into a store brandishing a shotgun with some thug buddies in some States you might very well be facing a citizen with a lot of range time and an extra clip who happens to be in there.

          Criminals are created by societal effects, inequality, poor education, lack of hope for a better future, and desperation. Criminals are not created by possession of firearms (or air powered pellet pistols as in this case,) and you need to work that into your little equation. Watch as those factors appear in a country and violence and crime follows regardless of gun laws. If you think restricting knives in England is going to stop your latest little wave of fun and games then off to the feelies with you and don't forget your soma.

          1. relpy
            FAIL

            Gun crime might be non-existent but...

            http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_firearm-related_death_rate

            1. multipharious

              Comparison:

              http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_intentional_homicide_rate_to_1999

              Granted these studies are a decade old.

              Let's compare two "relatively" similar countries in terms of homicide rate: Germany and Switzerland. Germany has a fairly involved background check and you must belong to a gun club and attend events to get a license. Switzerland, men are required to keep their military service rifle at home, so there is much higher ratio of armed households. Their homicide rate is close, but the firearms homicide number differs slightly. So if you are not shot, you are axed or stabbed in the rare event you are murdered. Neither society seems pre-disposed towards criminal violence in the first place yet there is a substantial difference in the ratio of armed households. Toss England in there and France, and the same sort of picture is portrayed. Similar levels of criminal violence but stark contrast in the number of guns.

              All I am saying, and the tables here seem to re-inforce it, is that guns do not CAUSE criminal behavior, violence, and murder. If that is to be fixed, then the root cause needs to be addressed not the convenient thing that can be legislated: making guns illegal.

  8. Anonymous Coward
    FAIL

    Gun Safety Fail

    It looks like he was lucky to have been caught before managing to kill himself with his gun. Pointing a gun at your head with your finger inside the trigger guard? That's even more stupid than taking your own mug shot.

  9. lumpenfolk
    Paris Hilton

    Shozu?

    I did quite a bit of searching to find something which will do this and the closest I could find is a flickr app called Shozu. Here is a similar story where is snapped a perp:

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/balf/2018631168/

    Maybe she really did "program" it herself?

    Plenty of other apps to remote erase, disable, locate, SMS, etc.

    Paris, obviously.

    - Paul

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Go

    Someone needs to make this app for Blackberries

    Geotagging+"Auto Zap" to picassa + google maps = ZapintheBerries App

  11. Andus McCoatover

    Could have saved a lot of money..

    ...if his finger twitched. Just slightly, natch.

  12. NogginTheNog
    FAIL

    Hard guy

    Poses with his 'piece' (actually an air pistol!) and when fingers does he go on the run taking out any filth who dares to cross his path? Nooo, he turns himself in!

  13. Chris iverson

    Why you ask

    Cause they are fun to shoot. Mind you I go to the range though instead of on fleshy targets.

  14. Mr Young
    Pint

    Hmmm, charming....

    Does he model catalogue trousers - the gun isn't pointing at his head properly?

  15. Fatman
    Grenade

    A fool and his tool

    <--------- NOW, if he really wanted to go out in style, obtain one of these (see adjacent icon), place between legs, and pull the pin.

    OTOH, this fool is completely capable of removing himself from the human gene pool in any of a number of ways.

    If that weapon was really a firearm, (as opposed to being a BB gun as some comenters have noted). Simple, POINT and CLICK! (So to speak!!!! That is - POINT the gun at your brains, and CLICK the safety off, and then pull the trigger)

    The world would be a slightly better place if he were to do that. One less idiot in the gene pool.

    Now, if he were concerned about leaving a mess behind (or he preferred to live), then he could accomplish the same goal by pointing the gun at his nutz, and then pull the trigger. No matter which way he goes, society is the better for it.

  16. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    @Moss Icely Spaceport

    over-compensation ;) http://www.everyoneweb.com/worldpenissize/

    USA average penis size 12.9cm

    UK average penis size 13.97cm

    ^_^

  17. ShaggyDoggy
    IT Angle

    IT aspect

    or at least it would have an IT aspect if you told us what ruddy phone it was DOH

  18. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    'Love'?

    Forgetting for the time being whether 'enthusiasm' equates to 'love', the answer is 'for the same reason almost everybody everywhere 'loves' some class of inanimate object or other'.

    I would expect a person who asks such a question to be one who can't see the quality of design and manufacture in certain guns, which would suggest either someone too shallow to credit craftsmanship in anything whatsoever, let alone a firearm, or someone who can't see the object for their own negative emotion projected onto it.

  19. Mikey
    Joke

    The picture gives it away...

    ...the rather poor quality and crap colour balance indicates it could very easily be an iPhone ;O)

    Besides, why would you actually steal something other than a much sought after expensive jobsian status symbol?

  20. JP-2.0
    FAIL

    @Anonymous

    Nice try. We don't use that "centimeter" shit here in the US of A.

    1. phoenix
      Boffin

      Neither do we

      it's centimetre.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      @ JP-2.0: But you *do* do maths right?

      Right?

    3. James Hughes 1

      Mars...

      That's why your spacecraft crash rather than land on Mars?

      (Although we did quite well with Beagle)

      1. phoenix
        Happy

        Its waiting there for a rover to pull it out..............

        which appears to be stuck in hole and can't get out. At least we did it on a pathectically small amount of cash - like our space rockets (where we a damn sight more sucessful than the US and Soviet ones at the time before the funding was cut)

  21. kevin biswas
    Joke

    Shouldn't he have been aiming the gun...

    ...at his foot ?

  22. Mephistro
    Headmaster

    @ Dana W

    "Weapons laws only disarm the law abiding. The criminals simply don't care."

    If you are a burglar in a country with 'gun laws' there is no advantage in taking a gun with you, only added risk and bigger sentences if you are caught. If you are a burglar in the USA you'd better take a gun with you, 'cause many of your 'customers' will be armed.

    It's really a weapons race.

    Guns are extremely cheap for the criminals in the States, as thousands of weapons are stolen from law abiding citizens every year and there is a big market for illegal smuggled weapons.

    Psychopaths will kill people in both kinds of countries, but in the States they can easily obtain extremely powerful weapons. So if you are a psychopath, and live in a country with 'weapons laws' , you are most probably stuck with a very small 'massacre size' using knifes or swords or a hunting shotguns, while in the States you can purchase 'professional gear' and kill 20 or 30 people in ten minutes without breaking sweat.

    As for the 'citizens defending themselves' argument, there are several figures I would love to know, but for some reason or another seem to be very difficult to find ;):

    - Number of innocent law abiding citizens killed or wounded by armed criminals every year

    - Number of innocent law abiding citizens killed or wounded by accidents with weapons

    - Number of criminals shot by the above said innocent law abiding citizens

    - Number of weapons stolen every year in the USA, and an estimation of the number of weapons smuggled into the country.

    My guess is that the NRA wouldn't like these figures being publicly discussed, for quite obvious reasons.

    1. Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge

      quite apart from the fact..

      that police can arrest a criminal simply for having a gun (assuming it is unlicensed), no further evidence needed.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      They are not supressing any statistics

      There are far too many innocent, law abiding citizens killed or wounded by accidents with weapons in the US, that is why the NRA is a very strong advocate of firearm safety training. (Too bad automobile enthusiasts aren't as obsessed with safety) Yes, your odds of actually using a firearm against a criminal are infinitesimally small, but responsible gun ownership is more effective as a deterrent to crime rather than as an active means of dealing with a crime in progress. Finally, if you are a 5 foot tall, 90 pound female about to be raped by a 6 foot, 300 pound man, would you rather engage him in hand-to-hand combat, or shoot it out with him? The point of a weapon is that it gives the weak a fighting chance, especially against an intoxicated assailant.

      1. lukewarmdog
        Badgers

        no statistics were supressed in this title

        "that is why the NRA is a very strong advocate of firearm safety training"

        No, the reason the NRA advocates anything with the word gun in it is because it is run by people with a vested interest in gun sales and aftersales. Own a gun safely = 1) own a gun 2) train at one of our family owned ranges 3) buy our bullets.

        THAT is why the NRA does anything.

  23. Anonymous Coward
    Paris Hilton

    @AC 23:45

    "USA average penis size 12.9cm

    UK average penis size 13.97cm"

    Err, so how do they measure it to the nearest .1 of a millimetre anyways?

    Paris, just because....

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      @@AC 23:45

      I'm guessing the accuracy of any one measurement is lower than 0.1mm, but when you take the average it does mean something. For example, maybe the accuracy is ±5mm for each measurement. You can calculate the error in the mean from the standard deviation divided by the square root of the number of samples. In this way, with a large enough sample size, you'd easily end up with a number like 13.97±0.01cm. Which, incidentally, still makes American penises significantly smaller than British ones.

    2. This post has been deleted by its author

    3. asiaseen

      Very

      carefully

    4. Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge

      I think measurements will depend heavily

      on who is doing the measurement.

  24. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    @We don't love our guns

    "Some people put food on the table with them"

    Call me old fashioned but I use a serving spoon.

    Mine's the one with the jangling cutlery in the pockets.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Pint

      nice

      just imagine trying to serve up Sunday roast with two 12 bores or in US a couple of armalites ( cause they always get better kit and often pass it on to....)

  25. sandman

    Spoiler

    Now, I know it might spoil your collective fun to have access to some actual statistics on US gun deaths, but for anyone who's interested: http://library.med.utah.edu/WebPath/TUTORIAL/GUNS/GUNSTAT.html

  26. AlistairJ

    All in d'game

    You have to admire the American education system. Very efficient in keeping the poor in their place.

  27. Anonymous Coward
    FAIL

    @Mephistro

    Guns are extremely cheap for the criminals, as thousands of weapons are stolen from law abiding citizens, government organisations, and areas where there is no formal control every year and there is a big market for illegal smuggled weapons.

    EFA.

    If you're not fussed about being legal, firearms are readily availible in the UK and not very expensive either.

  28. disgruntled yank

    Americans and their guns

    @Moss -- If you're in the armed robbery business, what're you going to carry? A spiked stick?

    @Hud: They don't have guns in New Orleans? The accounts I read certainly suggested that they did.

    @Alistair: Efficient, but hardly unique, if one can judge from assorted Register pieces.

  29. David Edwards
    WTF?

    Its still an air gun

    Lang debates about gun ownership aside, thats an airgun "not a LARGE FIREARM" unless in the UK its over 6ft LBS muzle velocity (well it was when I was a kid). There is no FIRE in an Airgun, hence the name AIR.

    So next time you read anything in "The papers" remember that Journalists dont know very much, it would appear, about anything. (Or maybe they do, but ignore it)

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