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back to article Canadian hi-tech gentleman jewel thief finally nabbed

A hi-tech gentleman jewel thief was sentenced yesterday in Canada, after an exchange of compliments with police in court. Detectives described Gerald Blanchard as "charming", "gifted" and one of the most technically-accomplished master criminals they'd ever seen. For his part, Blanchard thanked police for their diligence in …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Boffin

    the good old days

    The Boss's name wouldn't be James Moriarty, by chance??

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  2. Alex
    Paris Hilton

    Pink Panther

    Just need Henri Mancini's classic theme to play over the tannoy at the court for that added effect.

    Did he wear a black turtle neck sweater and have a pencil moustache??

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  3. Anonymous Coward
    Black Helicopters

    Hackers Beware

    ' His mother, according to Blanchard's brief, said that the master crim "was always very good at taking apart toys, and dismantling them effectively. And I think probably that curiosity in life has obviously served him to develop his skills." '

    Obviously, all future Hackers/Tinkerers will now be painted as potential Jewel Thieves.

    If you are the parent of such a child you will soon, by-law, be obliged to notify the authorities so he gets carted away before he can cause any trouble.

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  4. Senor Beavis

    Re: Hackers Beware

    What's so bad about being painted as a potential jewel thief?

    Hmm, let me think - be associated with an image of suave sophistication, or an ambivalence to personal hygiene...?

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  5. Shakje
    Black Helicopters

    Re: Hackers Beware

    Even better, we need to ban all toys now. By selling toys you are providing information that could incite terrorist acts.

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  6. Neil Barnes Silver badge

    Somehow I'm thinking...

    Not the Pink Panther, but The Saint.

    But in his written incarnation, not any of the film or TV versions. Please tell me he gave away his winnings?

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  7. JeffyPooh

    Ah, Canadian penal math...

    "...a free man in six years."

    6 = about 2.

    "...maximum sentence of 160 years."

    160 = limited to 20, and thus about 6.

    Not that there's anything wrong with that for these sorts of crimes.

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  8. andy rock
    Thumb Up

    proof...

    ...that it pays to be nice!

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  9. Marco

    Manners

    So well-mannered criminals will get off better than those lacking social sophistication?

    Wouldn't surprise me much if soon mannerism schools for larcenists open and we have thieves doing their business with a sweet "my deepest apologies, madame, would you kindly hand me over your purse, I am a daring scoundrel meaning to rob you" on their lips.

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  10. Anonymous Coward
    Unhappy

    My Den of Thiefs!

    OH NO! "...always very good at taking apart toys, and dismantling them effectively...". That's my boy in a nut shell. Plus he is Canadian!

    And my daughter hacked (social engineered) her way into the home router. What is a Canuck dad to do?

    Honey where are the bubble wraps?

    KC

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  11. Mike

    Advanced mathematics:

    Lifts half a mil in the first hit

    Then loads of other banks have 'freelance withdrawals'

    Even pinches some Austrian sparkly

    But only ordered to pay back half a mil...

    Was he a British judge, perchance????

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  12. Orrin Kerr

    Umm... That isn't the CBC that they're pointing at

    http://www.mytelus.com/ is not the CBC.

    This is the CBC:

    http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2007/11/07/blanchard-charges.html

    Also http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2007/06/01/jewel-winnipeg.html

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  13. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Up

    @ marco

    if all criminals did it like that then the world would be a slightly nicer place. i reckon its ok that he gets less time behind bars than typical screaming shotgun waving psychopathic criminal types. crime against the human should be punished more than non-violent theft.

    the important question though is...

    i wonder how much money he'll make when he signs away the movie rights.??

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  14. Anonymous Coward
    Flame

    Canadian courts are a joke

    Welcome to Canada where real jail time is reserved for people who kill, .... wait that can't be right, considering a former Winnipeg police officer received a conditional sentence (NO JAIL TIME) for killing a mother of 3 in a drunk driving accident.

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  15. Laurent_Z
    Heart

    Maybe it's because English is not my first language...

    but the sentence "Blanchard seemed to care very much about the people he was involved in" evoques more the deeds of a Gigolo/sexual offender than anything else.

    Or maybe "To be involved in (someone)" has another meaning across the pond ?

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  16. Demian Phillips
    Go

    @Maco

    You will only get that kind of school and treatment in Ankh-Morpork. I have yet to find a place comprable here in this dimension.

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