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Police raid Gizmodo editor's home
Tech Fortune at CNN.com ^ | April 26, 2010 5:37 PM | Philip Elmer-DeWitt

Posted on 04/26/2010 4:17:17 PM PDT by Smogger

Cops break open front door and seize computers in investigation of lost iPhone prototype.

It looks like the police are taking this pretty seriously.

Armed with a search warrant, members of California's Rapid Enforcement Allied Computer Team broke into a private home Friday night and seized computers and other electronic equipment, according to a report posted Monday on Gizmodo.

The home belonged to Jason Chen, the Gizmodo editor who published photographs and videos of a top secret prototype iPhone left at a bar by a young Apple engineer. Gizmodo has admitted paying $5,000 for the device, which it turned over on request to Apple (AAPL), but only after cracking it open and publishing details about its parts and specifications.

It's not clear at this time whether Apple or the local district attorney initiated the investigation. Apple has not replied to a request for clarification.

The search warrant, signed by a San Mateo County Superior Court judge, said the equipment seized may have been used to commit a felony.

"My wife and I drove to dinner and got back at about 9:45," begins Chen's description of the event. "When I got home I noticed that the garage door was half open, and when I tried to open it, officers came out and said they had a warrant to search my house and any vehicles on the property 'in my control.' Then they made me place my hands behind my head and searched me to make sure I had no weapons or sharp objects on me."

Photocopies of the warrant and a list of the equipment seized (including one box of business cards for "suspect chen") are available here. Chen's full statement below the fold.

(Excerpt) Read more at tech.fortune.cnn.com ...


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; Technical
KEYWORDS: apple; gizmodo; iphone
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"Armed with a search warrant, members of California's Rapid Enforcement Allied Computer Team broke into a private home Friday night..."

The Rapid Enforcement Allied what?? Oh. The warez police! You know the people that kick down grannies door and seize her MP3 collection. AKA Apples's Goon Squad.

What's the crime here? No one is even alleging the property was stolen. And it's been returned to Apple. Hmm.. Troubling to say the least. I like how they broke the guys door sometime in the evening rather than just serving the warrant at a decent time like in the morning.

1 posted on 04/26/2010 4:17:17 PM PDT by Smogger
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To: Smogger

Apple Publicity Stunt.

Guess not.


2 posted on 04/26/2010 4:21:02 PM PDT by GeronL (http://libertyfic.proboards.com << Get your science fiction and fiction test marketed)
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To: Smogger

I really like movies where goon squads like this get mowed down under withering mini-gun fire, or the alien stands up, all 30 stories tall, and stomps their swaggering asses into the pavement.


3 posted on 04/26/2010 4:24:25 PM PDT by HKMk23 (The Democrat Legacy: Hoax and Chains)
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To: Smogger
SCREW apple, jobs and that evil bunch of granola munching commies.

LLS

4 posted on 04/26/2010 4:24:39 PM PDT by LibLieSlayer ( WOLVERINES!)
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To: Smogger
I like how they broke the guys door sometime in the evening rather than just serving the warrant at a decent time like in the morning.

No doubt. If a judge signs-off on a warrant late in the day, the cops should wait until 9am the next morning. If on a Friday, the cops should've waited until Monday, to give a chance for the press to be there . . . and possibly tip off the suspect into destroying evidence of a crime.
/s

5 posted on 04/26/2010 4:24:52 PM PDT by 1rudeboy
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To: GeronL

It is time to turn the famous Apple commercial portraying IBM as Big Brother around on their heads. Someone needs to youtube that sucker after doctoring it up. How does Apple make this happen after the phone was returned? Especially so fast. You can’t get local law enforcement to move against a crack house that fast.


6 posted on 04/26/2010 4:26:20 PM PDT by Truth is a Weapon (Truth, it hurts soooo good!)
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To: 1rudeboy

Oh yeah. Clearly he was all consumed with destroying the evidence of his mysterious crime by:

a) Documenting the entire incident including a blow by blow recount of how the phone was obtained and what was learned by disassembling it.

b) Going to dinner with his wife.


7 posted on 04/26/2010 4:26:52 PM PDT by Smogger
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To: Smogger
I like how they broke the guys door sometime in the evening rather than just serving the warrant at a decent time like in the morning.

No mention of them shooting his dog, must be a cat person.

8 posted on 04/26/2010 4:28:53 PM PDT by Joe Miner
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To: Truth is a Weapon
How does Apple make this happen after the phone was returned? Especially so fast.

Try this.. Next time you lose your phone see if you can get a frigging task force whose mission statement reads:

"To reduce the incidence of high technology crime through the apprehension of the professional organizers of large scale criminal activities."

To raid the house of the people who returned it to you. Or better yet to find the damned thing.

9 posted on 04/26/2010 4:29:13 PM PDT by Smogger
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To: Smogger

“Your Honor, I am innocent because I ate dinner that evening.” LOL


10 posted on 04/26/2010 4:29:27 PM PDT by 1rudeboy
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To: Smogger

Police raids?

There’s an App for that!


11 posted on 04/26/2010 4:31:35 PM PDT by VanDeKoik (Iran doesnt have a 2nd admendment. Ya s ee how that turned out?)
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To: Truth is a Weapon

That would be a cool Youtube spot until it was taken down for some copyright violation or something


12 posted on 04/26/2010 4:32:36 PM PDT by GeronL (http://libertyfic.proboards.com << Get your science fiction and fiction test marketed)
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To: 1rudeboy

Innocent of what? Officers told him he wasn’t being arrested or detained. In fact the Detective told him that it was probably a “misunderstanding” that could be cleared up by “answering a few questions.”

But they did say they would reimbursement for the door so I guess there is that.


13 posted on 04/26/2010 4:33:58 PM PDT by Smogger
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To: Smogger

If this were a D.C. politician under investigation, I wouldn’t give it a second thought, other than to know that nothing would come of it.

For this guy, I feel the weight of govt bearing down on him without mercy. Common folk and all.


14 posted on 04/26/2010 4:34:28 PM PDT by Chaguito
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To: Smogger
He seems to have known what it was when he bought it ~ $5 beans for a Ipod is real change Fur Shur.

Then, he opened it up, photographed the copyrighted material, the design, etc.

There was both knowledge and intent. Apple is a big company. They will crush him like a seedless dessert grape!

15 posted on 04/26/2010 4:34:45 PM PDT by muawiyah ("Git Out The Way")
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To: VanDeKoik
Police raids? There’s an App for that!

ROFL!!! Apparently not!

16 posted on 04/26/2010 4:34:47 PM PDT by Yaelle
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To: Smogger
I don't know if he's guilty or innocent . . . neither do you, apparently, because you think his having dinner with his wife is some sort of material fact.
17 posted on 04/26/2010 4:36:03 PM PDT by 1rudeboy
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To: muawiyah

Uh.. You can photograph the inside of your phone. Go ahead try it.


18 posted on 04/26/2010 4:36:03 PM PDT by Smogger
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To: Smogger
Look, when you purchase something you only get a title as good as the one the seller had.

Stolen property does not become "unstolen" just because it gets fenced.

19 posted on 04/26/2010 4:37:28 PM PDT by muawiyah ("Git Out The Way")
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To: Smogger
Not only that, he actually returned this stupid device to Apple.
What a load of nothing about yet another version of iPhone, when the superb Android Desire and Android Incredible are just coming out?
Isn't there some murder by yet another illegal allien that the California police should be stopping right now?


http://www.ojjpac.org/memorial.asp

20 posted on 04/26/2010 4:37:33 PM PDT by SmokingJoe
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