Dont like your neighbor? Craigslist to the rescue!

[FelixDeCat]

http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcont...listtheft.df487d8.html

Bogus Web ad is invitation to steal

11:28 PM CDT on Friday, May 1, 2009

By CHRIS HAWES / WFAA-TV

'It was on craigslist'
May 1st, 2009

Search Video: MANSFIELD ? Sherry Johnson Huwitt recently woke up to see what looked like robbers in her yard.

"These two guys were loading up my basketball goal," she said. "I went outside and started yelling, 'What are you doing with my things?' And they said, 'It was on craigslist.'"

The men showed Huwitt the ad from the popular Internet classifieds Web site which invited readers to collect outdoor sports equipment from her address. "Do not knock," the ad instructed. "It is placed out there for you to come and get."

Huwitt hadn't posted the invitation; she didn't know anything about it. The ad appeared to have been posted around 4 a.m., so Huwitt thought the person who did it must work the night shift. She heard that a neighbor, Chad Hickey, had been asking about her things, so she confronted him.

Hickey initially denied having anything to do with the ad, but Huwitt kept pushing, e-mailing craigslist to learn the identity of the person who placed the notice.

Huitt said she didn't place the craigslist ad that led two strangers to her yard. An hour later, a name came back: Chad Hickey ? her neighbor who is also an Arlington police officer.

"I just don't understand it," Huwitt said. "He brought strangers to my house. I could have gotten myself killed; I could have killed somebody."

In a letter to their homeowners' association, Hickey explained his action this way:

"Due to the items needing to be rmoved since they were not properly taken care of, I thought of a solution that was wrong to a valid issue. I regret my decision and wish I could take it back ... I feel horrible about what has transpired and have just been sick over it."

Arlington police don't know whether a crime was committed, but Hickey is still on the job until they figure it all out

Yet another fun and creative use for Craigslist. :roll:

 

[theflyingpig]

Cops: They're all scum.

 

[rudeguy]

thats awesome. I like the part where the cops can't figure out if a crime was committed.

 

[rudeguy]

Originally posted by: theflyingpig
Cops: They're all scum.

and all people with cow avatars are racist bigots with their heads shoved up their asses.

 

[FelixDeCat]

Originally posted by: NSFW
thats awesome. I like the part where the cops can't figure out if a crime was committed.

Ive never heard of CL being used this way. Heck you can have people do all sorts of things for you under the pretense of getting something for free. The funniest part of the ad was the "do not knock, its placed there for you to come get it". :laugh:

 

[frostedflakes]

Why didn't we think of this one before waggy's neighbors moved out?

 

[theflyingpig]

Originally posted by: NSFW

Originally posted by: theflyingpig
Cops: They're all scum.

and all people with cow avatars are racist bigots with their heads shoved up their asses.

So you agree with me about cops then. Excellent!

 

[Perknose]

Originally posted by: frostedflakes
Why didn't we think of this one before waggy's neighbors moved out?

Because there was nothing in their yard but crabgrass and the odd drunken child.

 

[schneiderguy]

Originally posted by: NSFW

Originally posted by: theflyingpig
Cops: They're all scum.

and all people with cow avatars are racist bigots with their heads shoved up their asses.

:Q :|

 

[FelixDeCat]

Originally posted by: Perknose

Originally posted by: frostedflakes
Why didn't we think of this one before waggy's neighbors moved out?

Because there was nothing in their yard but crabgrass and the odd drunken child.

Free crabgrass and an odd drunken child! Dont knock, they are there for the taking.

 

[TruePaige]

Originally posted by: FelixDeKat

Originally posted by: Perknose

Originally posted by: frostedflakes
Why didn't we think of this one before waggy's neighbors moved out?

Because there was nothing in their yard but crabgrass and the odd drunken child.

Free crabgrass and an odd drunken child! Dont knock, they are there for the taking.

Hey! I woke up and they were taking my drunken child!

He had some bottles I was gonna cash in...

 

[Mojoed]

He only "feels bad" because he was caught. He thought he would get away with it. What a moron.

 

[Red Squirrel]

LOL that is hilarious.

That's sad that the cops can't figure out if there was a crime though.

Sure, there may not be a clear law against that, but maybe stop going by the book for once, and use common sense. Was it wrong? yes, ok, so take action. If the law worked with common sense so many more criminals would be guilty. I don't think he deserves jail time or anything, but he should have to pay for any damages and replace any equipment that might of gone missing and considering he's a cop, at least get rep reprimanded or even fired.

 

[PottedMeat]

Originally posted by: FelixDeKat

Originally posted by: NSFW
thats awesome. I like the part where the cops can't figure out if a crime was committed.

Ive never heard of CL being used this way. Heck you can have people do all sorts of things for you under the pretense of getting something for free. The funniest part of the ad was the "do not knock, its placed there for you to come get it". :laugh:

Not the first time it's happened:

http://www.kgw.com/news-local/...ist_hoax.1ffb2c9c.html

 

[Number1]

They don't know if a crime was committed!

How about criminal mischief?

 

[waffleironhead]

Originally posted by: Number1
They don't know if a crime was committed!

How about criminal mischief?

or accessory to theft?

 

[Finalnight]

This has been in the news on and off for a few years now, pretty f'ed up.

 

[jlee]

Originally posted by: Number1
They don't know if a crime was committed!

How about criminal mischief?

Depends on how the law is written. I don't think criminal mischief wouldn't fit in NH. The specifics of the statue have to apply..I'm not entirely sure if this would be a civil or criminal matter...

 

[jlee]

Originally posted by: RedSquirrel
LOL that is hilarious.

That's sad that the cops can't figure out if there was a crime though.

Sure, there may not be a clear law against that, but maybe stop going by the book for once, and use common sense. Was it wrong? yes, ok, so take action. If the law worked with common sense so many more criminals would be guilty. I don't think he deserves jail time or anything, but he should have to pay for any damages and replace any equipment that might of gone missing and considering he's a cop, at least get rep reprimanded or even fired.

LOL.

Reality check.

It doesn't work that way...

 

[sonoma1993]

Originally posted by: PottedMeat

Originally posted by: FelixDeKat

Originally posted by: NSFW
thats awesome. I like the part where the cops can't figure out if a crime was committed.

Ive never heard of CL being used this way. Heck you can have people do all sorts of things for you under the pretense of getting something for free. The funniest part of the ad was the "do not knock, its placed there for you to come get it". :laugh:

Not the first time it's happened:

http://www.kgw.com/news-local/...ist_hoax.1ffb2c9c.html

i remember hearing about that last year. sure are some messed up people out there.

 

[JEDI]

Originally posted by: frostedflakes
Why didn't we think of this one before waggy's neighbors moved out?

what? his neighbors moved?! how did i miss the next episode of the soap opera.

link??

 

[frostedflakes]

I thought they did, but maybe I'm mistaken.

 

[her209]

Originally posted by: waffleironhead

Originally posted by: Number1
They don't know if a crime was committed!

How about criminal mischief?

or accessory to theft?

Or wire fraud?

EDIT: I wonder if the CL poster will lose his job over this.

 

[myjaja]

This thread just gave me lots of ideas for craigslist.

 

[ballmode]

craigslist got a lot of publicity lately