Teens get busted attempting to ransom stolen iPod

We can partly forgive these thieves' stupidity due to their youth, but how dumb do you have to be to steal someone's iPod and then try to extort a ransom for its return? Well that's exactly how two 16-year-old braniacs from West Philly got busted yesterday, after they arranged a meeting with the woman whose apartment they had just robbed. Cops sent an undercover officer posing as the victim to meet with the young crooks, and were easily able to apprehend them even after these masterminds twice changed the rendezvous point by several blocks. No word on what kind of 'Pod was kidnapped here (since the ransom was $100, it would top it all off if it ended up being a Shuffle), but it was returned to its owner unharmed, and the robbers are being charged with theft, conspiracy, and receiving stolen property. Also, we have to wipe the egg off our face here, as this unfortunate situation could have been avoided altogether had the victim employed the for-home-as-well-as-on-the-go PodLocker from Think Products, which we may have prematurely harshed on the other day.

[Via iLounge]

[vectorbug @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

Just for that I'm locking *everything* on my desk this weekend.

[Rusty Shackleford @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

And as stupid as these guys are, they're not half as dumb as the idiots who made the smash my iPod video.

[D-Money @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

They need to be sent to Singapore China for 24 strokes of the cane for that! If you think that's cruel and unsual. Then realized we are send our captured terrorist to other countries under the direction of the CIA & the president's signed orders with the agreement with other countries and their leaders. Sounds like a new backdoor for us to lose our Constitutional Rights. See MSN Article http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9890829

[fred @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

"theives� stupidity"?

Hmmm. Wanna try that again?

[alex @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

"it was returned to its owner unharmed"

Without a "scratch" I hope if it was a Nano ;)

[Bob @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

I bet it was an iPod with Video with sex movies on it featuring the victim...

[JP Graff @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

hahahahahahahahaha at least they have their fifteen minutes of fame

[Tastes Like Burning @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

Vectorbug, I'm going to steal your desk this weekend.

I'm surprised she got it back right away. The police have stuff they took as evidence from me for over a year as a thievery case dragged on.

[mike @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

Tastes Like Burning- the stuff they still have is probably is use by them

[DJ @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

#8 - or they sold your stuff at a police auction.

Back on topic... anyone know how much they wanted for its ransom? That would be interesting / funny to know :)

[Dario @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

DJ if you read the link you would know that they wanted $100.

[Mike @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

#3... Are you retarded? You're not even close to being on topic. Nobody cares about your political beliefs here.

[LOL @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

Good lord, haven't these fools heard of ebay?

[Robin @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

My iPod was stolen from me by a kid in my class. He even told me he stole it and said he would smash it if I didn't give him 200$.

A quick phonecall to his parents sorted everything out.
I thought it was kind of funny...

[Jamesology @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

hahahha good ol' america where ppl would actually hold an ipod for ransom HAHAHHAHAHHAA

[Brian @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

I enjoyed reading that article today in class. West Philly doesn't have the smartest of criminals....for instance a former employee who went back to rob his workplace only to have his old coworkers identify him by his voice.

Glad she got it back though.

[Bard @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

Had some kid try to steal my iPod while I was walking to the Phoenix Muni Court. Was minding my own buisness on lunch and had this 14 y/o brat TRY to tackle me and take the iPod..

...only to realize that he found the pocket with nothing in it but my holster for my firearm next to it.

NEVER try to mug a Process Server for his iPod..ESPECIALLY in front of the Courthouse. The cops attending got a huge kick out of it. Kid even got assualting an officer of the court, and all for my 1 Gig shuffle.

Sad really.

[Andrew L. @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

#3 (D-Money), You're about as dumb as these kids. Singapore is a country of its own.

[Nathan @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

Bard, I've dealt with even more idiotic muggers.

I had one guy try a snatch & grab at an ATM in the main train station in town. he failed, and then started having a go at me. so I just started walking to the small police box inside the station. rather than making a run for it - HE RACED ME TO THE POLICE!!!

He actually did beat me (only because I casually strolled over), and he burst in screaming to the cops that I stole his mobile phone. Cops saw straight through him and locked him up for the night. Not the brightest spark that guy.

[&T @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

Yea!! Send thess bitches to us! We gonna spank em good like michael fay's arse.


Singaporean.

[College Student @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

Man,,,that was dumb of them

[drexel kid @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

i am glad these bastards got caught. There has actually be a rash of these thefts. I live there and the police acutally put out a security bulliten telling us that we should replace the white earbuds because that is a dead give away.