In shades of "Home Alone" a burglar allegedly responsible for assorted break-ins was outsmarted last week by an 8-year-old boy named Landon Crabtree. Using an Apple tracking device application he'd downloaded; he began to trace his iPad and other possessions that were recently stolen from the Crabtree's family home in Manchester, Tenn.
Note to self: if an eight year old can locate stolen goods via a downloaded app, why can't the police do the same thing? Perhaps these men that fight crime should invite young Landon to do an in-service session for them and maybe the police should stop playing Angry Birds in their spare time.
Crabtree activated the app from a PC computer in his home and the cyber magic revealed that the stolen iPad was at a nearby motel, and the third grader reported it immediately to the police. Within the hour deputies called to say they'd arrested a suspect, according to theAssociated Press. If a child knew about this app how come the FBI didn't have a clue?
"You don't mess with our family," said Landon, who wants to be an FBI agent when he grows up, according to WTVF.
Police arrested the iPad thief John Docherty, who had used the Ambassador Inn Motel to stash stolen items from a string of recent burglaries. Honestly, I cannot wait until the other cons find out their new cellmate was taken down by a third grader, because that is definitely going to be hot conversation around the jail yard.
The charges against Docherty got even deeper when a detective in nearby Franklin County saw him on television and recognized him from a sketch of a wanted thief. Was he on America's Dumbest Criminals?
Actually the credit really goes to computer giant Apple, who practically shoves this app down your throat when you set up your product in the first place. Apple should gift him something for the PR and his creative imagination and I do not mean just a candy bar.
In 20 years Americans will all breathe more easily, knowing Special Agent Crabtree is on the job, and as far as I am concerned he has just earned a spot on the Scooby Doo detective squad!
On a last note though; just wait until young Crabtree gets older and discovers porn. From that instant on I bet there will no longer be any free space to download tracking apps on that sucker.
Linda Seccaspina 2012 for Zoomers Canada
Dedicated to my tech savvy friend Catherine Forsythe
