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Over 100 criminals caught with Xbox 360 bait: Outlaws are not smart, by the way photo

If Mohammed will not go to the mountain, the mountain must come to Mohammed. It is with this trusty proverb in mind that US marshals seem to be approaching the capture of criminals in Texas, as they have used the promise of an Xbox 360 as bait to lure over one hundred lawbreakers out of hiding.

What?

Yes, that's right. The Marshals and El Paso police worked together to trick a large number of criminals into thinking they had won a free Xbox 360. When they showed up to claim the prize, they instead won a trip to jail and an award for the biggest dumbass that side of Mississippi. 

115 very, very stupid people were eventually arrested. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a body to bury and then I'm going to cash in this ticket I received for a free Nintendo Wii. Just dropped right on my doorstep, it was.


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35 comments | showing # 1 to 35

Epitaph's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/30/2007 07:51
Epitaph
Even if they didn't do anything wrong, they deserve to go to jail just for being so fucking retarded.
rubadub's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/30/2007 07:53
rubadub
wow there are idiots in texas, who knew?
9to5's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/30/2007 07:57
9to5
Don't mention [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7121025.stm/]the M word[/url] Jim lad!
Mxyzptlk's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/30/2007 07:59
Mxyzptlk
Well, shit... And I'd gotten my hopes up. Luckily my new best friend the deposed Prince of Nigeria has promised me enough cash to buy as many 360s as I want!
9to5's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/30/2007 07:59
9to5
Sorry, fail, try again. the M word
Justin Villasenor's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/30/2007 08:01
Justin Villasenor
Stupid criminals are stooooopid.
Mxyzptlk's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/30/2007 08:02
Mxyzptlk
Psst! 9to5 meant this.
razerangel's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/30/2007 08:07
razerangel
correct me if im wrong but isnt that technically solicting a crime, which in itself is an arrestable offence, but then again that is here in Britian. Maybe your laws are more pliable over the pond?
smoger's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/30/2007 08:11
smoger
simpsons did it.
Mxyzptlk's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/30/2007 08:16
Mxyzptlk
Don't follow you there razerangel, how is it soliciting a crime? The people arrested were already wanted for various crimes and in hiding from the law, the offer of a 360 was just a trick to get them to show up where they could be arrested.
DeusPayne's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/30/2007 08:20
DeusPayne
@razer: I believe you're thinking of entrapment laws, which state that an officer is not allowed to provoke someone into breaking the law with the purpose of arresting them after. No crime was committed here other than the ones they were being hunted down for.
Reafis's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/30/2007 08:28
Reafis
I think this would have been better if they'd used PS3s, 2 x the stupidity factor...
Painuser's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/30/2007 08:29
Painuser
@rubadub and everyone else.

Why are you calling everyone who got arrested a idiot? You would run to your nearest Gamestop if they had said you won a Nintendo Wii. No questions asked. And generalized statements like Texans are stupid is something that belongs in a Youtube video's comments. Lets grow up, this isnt grade school.

You people are making it out that these people were all murderers and drug dealers. Alot of times stuff like that is for failure to appears for traffic court and etc. They dont want to spend the time and money to do knock-and-talk warrant servings, its much easier to do it this way.

Think before you speak.
VWGTI's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/30/2007 08:41
VWGTI
Police have been using this tactic for years. Usually it's a nice TV, and the crooks always fall for it.

There is a prime example of why these guys can't function in a society.
dr3nd4r's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/30/2007 08:52
dr3nd4r
hahaha, Chief Wiggumm did the same thing a while ago in a simpsons episode (if i remember well, the bait was a boat or something)
Lord The Night Knight's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/30/2007 09:00
Lord The Night Knight
"hahaha, Chief Wiggumm did the same thing a while ago in a simpsons episode (if i remember well, the bait was a boat or something)"

Or hiding in a confessional booth. in part 2 of "Who shot Mr. Burns".
Origim's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/30/2007 09:07
Origim
VWGTI "Police have been using this tactic for years. Usually it's a nice TV, and the crooks always fall for it.

There is a prime example of why these guys can't function in a society. "

Yep they do it for everything from sporting event tickets to a brand new car. The police department my uncle works for did it with WWE RAW tickets one year and cleared up 300 warrants in about 2 hours. Nothing is free there is always a cost and some times it's 5 to 10 in the joint.
VWGTI's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/30/2007 09:17
VWGTI
Yea, you think these guys would wise up, however, that obviously isn't happening.
Rucksack's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/30/2007 09:19
Rucksack
Damn. If I was on the run you can be sure I wouldn't surface for a fucking game console!!

Seriously..
maxio098ui's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/30/2007 09:38
maxio098ui
this is like in some movie, but that police guy saves the guy and his kid who was just going that way to a free yankees ticket thing.
Redzie's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/30/2007 09:45
Redzie
XBox catches criminals, take that folding@home!
Epitaph's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/30/2007 09:51
Epitaph
@Painuser:

From TFA: "Working jointly with the El Paso police, the marshals led a number of criminals, most of whom were wanted on drug or violent crime charges".

Let's grow up and RTFA before talking about other people's actions. In my books, if you're a fugitive, you have way better things to take care than play t3h haloes.

Think before you speak.
razerangel's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/30/2007 09:59
razerangel
yeah entrampment is what I meant, surely using the ruse of a free xbox is false advertising which is again an offence. So surely they police officers are bending the law to arrest felons, which is a bit immoral.
9to5's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/30/2007 10:23
9to5
@Mxyzptlk thanks for correcting my fail.

@everybody else- entrapment is coercing someone into committing a crime and then catching them. Just asking someone to turn up somewhere is not entrapment.

PS- all my legal knowledge is gleaned from playing Phoenix Wright and is not to be taken as legal advice.
DeusPayne's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/30/2007 11:19
DeusPayne
razer: that's not false advertising. At worst, it'd be considered a bait and switch, but there's no switching taking place. Anyone can claim anything at any point in time, but you don't follow strangers into vans when they promise you candy too? Or... would you like some candy?
Holyetheline's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/30/2007 12:19
Holyetheline
they did the same bit in The Simpsons only for a free boat.
Putthebottledown's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/30/2007 12:41
Putthebottledown
"UP UP AND AWAY!! IN MY BEAUTIFUL, MY BEAUTIFUL MOTOR BOAAAATTTT!!!"

-Homer Simpson

That episode is awesome
Eschatos's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/30/2007 14:08
Eschatos
Wow, what idiots, who would ever want an Xbox 360?
Barcode's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/30/2007 15:54
Barcode
That's pretty funny to know that they truly believed that they won a free 360 without doing anything.
Jordan Devore's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/30/2007 15:55
Jordan Devore
Haha I came here to talk about The Simpsons too.
Necros's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/30/2007 16:38
Necros
Jeez, what dumbasses.
The Grudge's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/30/2007 16:54
The Grudge
Hah! No Haloz for jooz!

This doesn't make for a good jail cell conversation.

"How did they get you?"

"Um, a 100 man swat team..."
grrza's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/30/2007 18:25
grrza
haha, I grew up in El Paso.

Reprazent!
Jetsetlemming's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/01/2007 12:00
Jetsetlemming
Reminds me of what Valve did to the guy that hacked them and stole the source beta code. Offered him an IT job because he was so l33t and kewl, with plans to have the FBI pick him up at the airport, but unfortunately his home country got news of the plan and arrested him first.
Fading Star's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/01/2007 13:38
Fading Star
:(.
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