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 ...
Yes, but if you dropped your $3,000 laptop on the street while taking something from your briefcase, are you seriously suggesting that you'd also never expect to see it again? Wouldn't you think that someone would have turned it in to the local police department if they were unable to find or reach you, rather than selling it to someone who would then dismantle it?
What's more, unlike $5 bills, cell phones are registered to a cellular network which is capable of identifying their general location, if not their exact GPS location.
No?
You are the same guy that kept coming up with one idiotic analogy after another, no?
“And your panties are in a twist because you can't respond to it other than to call be an “Applebot”
Naaah,
I'll leave the panty wearing to effeminate Applebots like you. Fits you to a “T”.
“”I found this gun and called S&W repeatedly, but . . . .””
There you go with one of your idiotic memes again.
Again, shooting someone at random with a gun is a crime, whether you own the gun or not. Get it?
Much like selling property that you do not have clear title to . . . thanks, again.
You mean that, if you call the laptop's manufacturer and some low-level functionary blows you off, the laptop doesn't magically become yours?
/retard
You know what?
You are right. The Apple Gestapo won't bother me, cause I never use any Apple products, nor do I have any intention of ever using any Apple product ever.
“So the Apple phone was stolen the moment the other guy found it on the barstool”
Nope.
The Apple phone was left behind by the Applebot. The Applebot(or his representatives) refused to take the phone back when the guy who found the phone tried to return the phone.
But hey, why should Apple worry about taking their phone back when they can always send the Gestapo to go break down doors eh? Much, much more civilized that way, I am sure. /sarc
Naaaah.
Much like stealing US nuclear secrets (according to you) and selling them to Iran. Hey, bring in the FBI. /sarc
The nuclear secrets weren’t stolen. They were left on a barstool. This is precisely where you go into mental vapor-lock.
They sure as hell are bothering you HERE! LOLOL
Man, just let it go.
Yeah?
I don't see no jack booted Apple Gestapo breaking down any doors of mine. On the other hand, I am gonna be looking forward to this trial with glee, and so will Apple's rivals in the smart phone business.
Keeping in mind your admission that you never use, nor have any intention of using, Apple products--if you found one on a barstool you'd understand that it does not belong to you, yes? And calling Apple Customer Care will not make it so, yes? And that is different from a nuclear blueprint how, again?
I have no interest whatsoever in any Apple phone, that's the point. It'd be like me seeing a stone in a bar.
“And that is different from a nuclear blueprint how, again?”
Nuclear blueprints can lead to rogue countries and terrorists getting nuclear weapons and slaughtering millions. Apple smartphone “secrets” can't kill anybody. Huge difference. Next?
This is how I can tell that I’m arguing with a woman. You never finish your point. Granted, Apple’s iPhone (or whatever this thing was) cannot kill anyone (yet): is that the reason you are allowed to turn centuries of property law on its head?
You would if you are arguing with another effeminate Applebot.
This happens to be a red blooded, Windows user. Sorry.
“You never finish your point.”
You never had any point.
“Granted, Apple’s iPhone (or whatever this thing was) cannot kill anyone (yet): “
Some Apple smartphone is not even on the same planet as US nuclear secrets. Foolish analogy.
“is that the reason you are allowed to turn centuries of property law on its head?”
No property law has been violated. The owner left his product somewhere. The finder repeatedly tried to return it. The owner refused to accept his property back.
Since working my way through that case I've never doubted that copyright law is one of those things that EVERYBODY can enforce.
Congress has even enabled private parties to bring suits to recover alleged damages.
Remember, the Constitution gives Congress the authority to secure for a limited time, and boy do they, and to "help" they have allowed all and sundry to jump on board to beat down the competition.
Copyright process, as distinct from the law, is a regular old dog _____.
Don’t know how many of the lost iPhone threads are around, but here is another one ... :-)
Do you seriously think that folks from Chicago say the word ignorant sounding like, “Ignant”??? Have you EVER even been to Chicago? Chicagoans do NOT speak like that... In fact, the national broadcast journalist enunciation most closely resembles the “Chicago accent”.
Besides, that was just uncalled for...
SCREW apple, jobs and that evil bunch of granola munching commies.
Well, that may be your sentiments regarding Apple and their products and/or anything associated with them -- but this is a case that has to do with a violation of California law. It would be the same thing going on if it were a different item -- if the police and authorities were aware of it by some other means.
The thing here is the the criminal (one of them, the writer) -- actually wrote about his crime.
And it happens every time -- that a criminal gets caught by his own bragging. If he had not written about his crime... he would have never been caught...
That's why I advise "stupid criminals" -- that if you're going to commit some kind of crime -- don't write a big article about it and publish it -- or don't get on TV and broadcast to the world about the crime you just committed ... LOL ...
That's a stupid criminal for you... :-)
and possibly tip off the suspect into destroying evidence of a crime.
Yeah... that's hilarious... LOL ...
Some people expect the police, when having a warrant to get those relevant items from some criminal -- that they're supposed to observe some kind of "business hours" and ring the doorbell and come back if no one is home ... doncha know ... :-)
I’m not familiar with the colloquial phrase you used at the very end of your post. Can you elaborate? Feel free to use FReepmail if you need to in order to avoid getting banned! ;)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.