• (cs)

    Best. Story. Ever.

    Is this gonna be made into a movie? Who want to go see it with me?

  • (cs)

    That's hilarious, but the poor kid!

  • blindman (unregistered)

    I would NEVER have let them interview my son alone.

  • McWyrm (unregistered)

    Alright - TRWTF is that Steve let the cops interrogate his son alone. That's not right. Especially if the kid didn't do anything wrong.

    Wow.

  • BlueCollarAstronaut (unregistered)

    So, I'm guessing Big Willie had lots of "friends" calling him, then. How unfortunate for Steve's son that he managed to make it to the top of the list.

  • Benjamin Normoyle (unregistered)

    ...

    I am going to do anything in my power to ensure that I get a moderately unique cell-phone number. Or, alternatively, that I don't.

  • wol (unregistered)

    He should've told them "I've got the monkey!"

  • anon (unregistered)

    His real # was 0000? What a crumby phone number

  • DBZ (unregistered) in reply to anon

    Obviously obfuscated phone number

  • (cs)

    I'm wondering what the real details were like, before anonymization and, uh, dramatization.

  • John the incredible (unregistered)

    My question is: Do other users of this cell service see 520-833-0000 as calling them when they get blocked calls or do they see blocked when they get calls from Steve?

  • Jens (unregistered)

    If it does get made into a movie, i'll invite the irish girl to go see it.

  • jtl (unregistered)

    At least it wasn't the drug dealers investigating who killed Big Willie...

  • Southern (unregistered)

    Brillant!

  • Dembinjo (unregistered)

    Steve and his son were lucky...

    what if telephone logs on web were also messed up?

    Maybe son will get out of jail in about 20 years,

    then - we will have movie

    "Only, If I have known about that bug - the prison story"

  • morry (unregistered)

    I'll bet the HR department added that to his "file" anyway. Good luck with a raise there, Steve. Cops show up == Guilty.

  • SomeCoder (unregistered)

    Ok so please tell me after the story ended that Steve got his lawyer and sued the hell out of the phone company?

    I'm not one for frivolous lawsuits but damn - that's complete incompetence x 10000.

  • relaxing (unregistered) in reply to SomeCoder
    SomeCoder:
    Ok so please tell me after the story ended that Steve got his lawyer and sued the hell out of the phone company?

    I'm not one for frivolous lawsuits but damn - that's complete incompetence x 10000.

    This doesn't belong in the Daily WTF, this belongs in the Risks Digest.

  • (cs)

    Wow, I hope his son wasn't under the age of 18. With a Lawyer? If he was than this was very inappropriate of the cops. Of course I am just basing this on episodes of Law & Order and Judging Amy I have seen.

    -I don't think the parent being there is enough for it to be admissible but then again read my note on my legal "expertise"

  • MAV (unregistered)

    I've been waiting a long time for a WTF this amazing. sniffle

  • Proko (unregistered) in reply to Jens
    Jens:
    If it does get made into a movie, i'll invite the irish girl to go see it.
    Sorry, she already promised to go with me. But I'm sure you find someone else.
  • (cs) in reply to MAV

    WTF#1 is that he talked to the cops without a lawyer present. WTF#2 is that he allowed the cops to talk to his son without a lawyer present WTF#3 is that he let the cops talk to his son alone

    My rule #1 with cops is as follows:

    Cop: Sir can we (talk to you about / search your car or residence regarding) <insert police matter here>? Me: Do you have a warrant? / Am I under arrest? Cop: No. Me: Have a nice day.

  • (cs)

    Even without that bug, Caller ID is trivial to spoof if you have admin privileges on practically any PBX. Including, lately, open-source VOIP PBXen. Great way to prank someone -- or frame them.

  • BlueCollarAstronaut (unregistered) in reply to Proko
    Proko:
    Jens:
    If it does get made into a movie, i'll invite the irish girl to go see it.
    Sorry, she already promised to go with me. But I'm sure you find someone else.

    Irish you two the best

  • (cs) in reply to D2oris
    D2oris:
    Best. Story. Ever.

    Is this gonna be made into a movie? Who want to go see it with me?

    I'm so there, this was hillarious, I laughed for a good 3 minutes on this one. Absolutely hillarious, as I can see each and every person in the story's faces when this came to light.

    a simple block of their number could cause such turmoil, that's priceless.

    It's even more priceless that the phone company couldn't tell what the actual number was because it was blocked.

  • (cs) in reply to SomeCoder

    please tell me after the story ended that Steve got his lawyer and sued the hell out of the phone company?

    Sued them for what?

    The phone company lacked diligence in fixing a known technical issue, but there were no real damages occuring as a result of that failure.

    No, being questioned by police is not 'damages'.

  • (cs) in reply to BlueCollarAstronaut
    BlueCollarAstronaut:
    Irish you two the best
    <Golf Clap>
  • Henrik (unregistered) in reply to CRNewsom
    CRNewsom:
    My rule #1 with cops is as follows:

    TRWTF is that you have more than one rule.

  • Alonzo Turing (unregistered)

    This is a bit off topic, but what it is with (I presume) you Americans and your fear of the police? I don't know, but do cops always try to find something against you, no matter if you did it or not? I mean, why was it a WTF that the kid talked to the cops? He did not do anything and they were able to solve the problem quite quick. Should he have gotten himself a lawyer just so everything would have become expensive and tedious for everyone? I thought the police is there to help the society...

  • mithras (unregistered)

    Jens -- maybe you & Irish can join Foosball & me on a double date!

  • Brandon (unregistered) in reply to DeLos
    DeLos:
    Wow, I hope his son wasn't under the age of 18. With a Lawyer? If he was than this was very inappropriate of the cops. Of course I am just basing this on episodes of Law & Order and Judging Amy I have seen.

    -I don't think the parent being there is enough for it to be admissible but then again read my note on my legal "expertise"

    You honestly watch "Judging Amy" ? I don't think I'd admit to it if i did.

  • Malcolm (unregistered)

    And how did the officers explain the eight ball of coke they slipped into the kid's pocket, "just in case" he didn't want to confess?

  • (cs) in reply to Henrik
    Henrik:
    CRNewsom:
    My rule #1 with cops is as follows:

    TRWTF is that you have more than one rule.

    I have planned for the possible need to expand in the future. Currently no other rules populate the list, and, since the list is generated chronologically, this rule will remain in the number one slot.

  • (cs) in reply to CRNewsom
    CRNewsom:
    Cop: Sir can we (talk to you about / search your car or residence regarding) <insert police matter here>? Me: Do you have a warrant? / Am I under arrest? Cop: No. Me: Have a nice day.

    Congratulations, you just gave them probable cause. Their theory is why wouldn't you let them search your stuff if you have nothing to hide?

    It's a catch-22.

  • Schnapple (unregistered) in reply to CRNewsom
    CRNewsom:
    WTF#1 is that he talked to the cops without a lawyer present.
    But wouldn't it be most people's instinct to just talk to the cops and get whatever it is settled? Also, how many people have a lawyer at the ready at any given point in time? People always say "talk to my lawyer" in television shows but what I've always wanted to know is - how many people have a lawyer they use? I don't - I've never had the need to have a lawyer and don't see myself getting into a situation needing one soon. And it's not like lawyers are interchangeable - if yours specializes in divorce and you got brought up erroneously for murder he wouldn't be much good, right?
  • (cs) in reply to Brandon
    Brandon:
    DeLos:
    Of course I am just basing this on episodes of Law & Order and Judging Amy I have seen.

    You honestly watch "Judging Amy" ? I don't think I'd admit to it if i did.

    Ya, I admit it. I never watched it live in primetime. I caught it on TNT during mid-afternoon while working at home alot at my last job. Daytime Drama on TNT.

    I never said it was a good show, just that I watched it.

  • foobar (unregistered)

    Good thinking from the son to bribe the phone company guy.

  • Phleabo (unregistered) in reply to Malcolm
    Malcolm:
    And how did the officers explain the eight ball of coke they slipped into the kid's pocket, "just in case" he didn't want to confess?

    A parting gift to show the really do care?

  • (cs) in reply to CRNewsom
    CRNewsom:
    My rule #1 with cops is as follows:

    Cop: Sir can we (talk to you about / search your car or residence regarding) <insert police matter here>? Me: Do you have a warrant? / Am I under arrest? Cop: No. Me: Have a nice day.

    I used to think like that too, back in my youthful days when I was always guilty of something. Now that I'm (mostly) law-abiding and live a settled life and own a nice home in a neighborhood that's making a slow but steady downward slide, I'm glad the cops are around, and I'm respectful and cooperative.

    I remember a bumper sticker from the 60's: "If you don't like cops, the next time you need help call a hippie."

  • Herohtar (unregistered)

    Nice! That was very well-written; best story I've seen on here so far!

  • Never been there (unregistered) in reply to akatherder
    akatherder:
    CRNewsom:
    Cop: Sir can we (talk to you about / search your car or residence regarding) <insert police matter here>? Me: Do you have a warrant? / Am I under arrest? Cop: No. Me: Have a nice day.

    Congratulations, you just gave them probable cause. Their theory is why wouldn't you let them search your stuff if you have nothing to hide?

    It's a catch-22.

    Presumption of innocence. Don't give them an inch or they'll go on a fishing expedition. Don't go back into your house for a coat or lock your car, giving them the justification to follow and inspect.

  • (cs) in reply to Schnapple
    Schnapple:
    But wouldn't it be most people's instinct to just talk to the cops and get whatever it is settled? Also, how many people have a lawyer at the ready at any given point in time? People always say "talk to my lawyer" in television shows but what I've always wanted to know is - how many people have a lawyer they use? I don't - I've never had the need to have a lawyer and don't see myself getting into a situation needing one soon. And it's not like lawyers are interchangeable - if yours specializes in divorce and you got brought up erroneously for murder he wouldn't be much good, right?

    I have a lawyer on retainer. The retainer is valid for all attorneys working at the firm. The firm has someone who specializes in most types of cases (criminal, corporate, personal injury, divorce, etc). The whole point of having one present during any questioning or search by police is to keep them in line. If they decide to threaten you while questioning you, where is your witness that it happened? Maybe it's just my foil hat logic, but it makes me feel better that I am prepared for the worst.

    Example: My friend, was at his parents house to witness a neighborly dispute. The neighbor said that his dad illegally cut a tree that was growing over the fenceline. Neighbor called the police, police arrested his dad. The only reason I know any of this happened is that my friend called me asking for bail money, as they don't take checks or credit/debit cards, cash/cashiers check/money order only. If he had an attorney, the bail could have come from the retainer.

  • Me (unregistered) in reply to Alonzo Turing
    Alonzo Turing:
    This is a bit off topic, but what it is with (I presume) you Americans and your fear of the police? I don't know, but do cops always try to find something against you, no matter if you did it or not? I mean, why was it a WTF that the kid talked to the cops? He did not do anything and they were able to solve the problem quite quick. Should he have gotten himself a lawyer just so everything would have become expensive and tedious for everyone? I thought the police is there to help the society...

    The problem is that the Cops have already decided you have done it, and it's now up to you to prove otherwise. Given their experience with dealing with and manipulating criminals and evidence to fit their perceived notion of how the murder went down, a lawyer is needed to make sure you don't inadvertently put your neck in a noose, and cause problems for yourself later.

  • SomeCoder (unregistered) in reply to Rootbeer
    Rootbeer:
    please tell me after the story ended that Steve got his lawyer and sued the hell out of the phone company?

    Sued them for what?

    The phone company lacked diligence in fixing a known technical issue, but there were no real damages occuring as a result of that failure.

    No, being questioned by police is not 'damages'.

    Being questioned by the police as described in this story = damages. I'm sure the story was sensationalized for our benefit though. I would hope that if the police were questioning you for the first time like this, they wouldn't act like the "younger" cop in the story.

    And it isn't just the phone company lacking diligence, it's gross negligence. Especially in these times when the government can wiretap you and request your phone records without warrants.

  • Me (unregistered) in reply to Rootbeer
    Rootbeer:
    please tell me after the story ended that Steve got his lawyer and sued the hell out of the phone company?

    Sued them for what?

    The phone company lacked diligence in fixing a known technical issue, but there were no real damages occuring as a result of that failure.

    No, being questioned by police is not 'damages'.

    Um, having the police show up at work and announce that they are taking you downtown for questioning is not damaging? They could have just easily come to his house one evening.

    In any case it'll be irrelevant once Bush and and his Rethuglicans give immunity to the phone companies. This puts a whole other spin on that one, doesn't it.

  • katre (unregistered)

    Okay, I see two WTFs in this story.

    1. This has never come up before? The cops never saw this fake number in any other investigation and it just happens to come up in a murder investigation? I call BS.

    2. The main thing that makes me go WTF is the father leaving the room. Sorry, if my kid is involved in a murder investigation, I'm not letting him out of my reach and I'm not answering a single question until they get me my court-approved lawyer. That's the dumbest thing I've read on this site in a while.

  • Jens (unregistered)

    One would think that the interrogation of a minor without a lawyer or guardian present would be inadmissable as evidence ...

  • Jens (unregistered) in reply to BlueCollarAstronaut

    OMG, only now do I get the joke on that t-shirt. I had the same problem Clbuttic: It just didn't parse.

    (btw, is it just me or do the catchas repeat themselves somewhat?)

  • Verloc (unregistered) in reply to akatherder
    akatherder:
    CRNewsom:
    Cop: Sir can we (talk to you about / search your car or residence regarding) <insert police matter here>? Me: Do you have a warrant? / Am I under arrest? Cop: No. Me: Have a nice day.

    Congratulations, you just gave them probable cause. Their theory is why wouldn't you let them search your stuff if you have nothing to hide?

    It's a catch-22.

    Not assenting does not give them anything close to probable cause. If a cop is asking for you to assent to search it means one of two things: 1. The cop already has probable cause, the search is happening regardless of your answer, and the cop is just being polite. 2. The cop's hoping you're dumb enough to give him assent to go on a fishing expedition at your expense.

  • BobB (unregistered) in reply to Schnapple
    Schnapple:
    Also, how many people have a lawyer at the ready at any given point in time?

    I would like to respond to your post, but I must first confer with my lawyer!

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