Thief steals Xbox 360: alleged culprit calls customer support |
Ó
New Zealand news site, Stuff, reports that Microsoft 's refusal to hand over information on a suspected burglary ring is delaying police efforts. They say that Police had been able to obtain a court order to seize details of a man they believed was linked to a series of Wellington burglaries. Apparently, he had given his details to Microsoft while seeking a replacement part for a stolen Xbox 360 console.The story goes that an Xbox 360 and games valued at more than US$ 700, were among items stolen on January 23 from a Mt. Victoria property. The next day a man called up Microsoft, quoting the stolen Xbox's serial number, and then asked for a new power cord (which was left behind in the theft). Microsoft recorder the man's name, phone number, and address to mail him the part.
We now smack our heads on our desks. You do not go to Microsoft for replacement parts if you stole your Xbox 360. Perhaps the man just ended up with the unit? Who knows. But if he was indeed the thief, or at least connected to the thief, who stole the Xbox 360, words fail to describe how stupid his actions were.
Anyway, Microsoft insists that as an American company it is not bound by New Zealand laws, and as per their policy, they could not pass on confidential customer information to the police.
Police suspected that the man had links to a burglary ring in Wellington, but Microsoft would not pass details to police until they obtained a court-issued search warrant. Microsoft's New Zealand product manager Thomas Hunt concedes that though it was a criminal matter, Microsoft internal policy required a court order before details could be passed to the police. He adds that it was a "huge issue" for the company to hand out details.
"We genuinely would like to help as much as possible," he said.
Detective Sergeant Martin Todd seems to agree by saying that Microsoft was acting within its rights and had no legal obligation to help. He adds that "Microsoft haven't been obstructive in any way."
Microsoft later gave the details of the man after they received a court issued search warrant. Of course, the victim of the theft is furious that Microsoft knew the man's details and wasn't "more helpful."
The alleged receiver of the stolen Xbox has now been arrested and charged. A 14-year-old had admitted to the theft and two others in the area.
As much as we feel for the robbery victim, we're a bit glad that Microsoft stuck with their customer privacy policy in this case.
Via Stuff
34 Jumps PSP homebrew - MHUSPEED v3
25 Jumps Sony helping fix Bayonetta for PS3?
21 Jumps PSP homebrew - MacroFire v3.0.12
Contact Us:
The QJ.net Network |
 |
| Site | Feed |
| QJ.NET | RSS |
| Nintendo DS | RSS |
| PlayStation 3 | RSS |
| PSP Updates | RSS |
| Wii | RSS |
| Xbox 360 | RSS |
| MMORPG | RSS |
| Personal Computer Games | RSS |
| iPhone - iPod Touch | RSS |
| QJ.NET Forums | RSS |
Add QJ.NET
User Favorites - December
User Favorites - December
Categories
Archives
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
Comments [refresh]
I live in Auckland, New Zealand, and my 360 was stolen. Pitty they managed to get everything :'( except they only had the vga cable. With this sort of issue i would rather MS would just hand the info out to the Police.
Im sure the writer would be more than pissed if this was his xbox. If someone commits a crime then there privacy rights should be removed. Surely Microsoft would value someone who has spent $700 over someone a theif ?
Id be furious.
Microsoft never said they wouldn't cooperate with police, they just asked for a warrant. That's how it should be. If only the US government would do the same....
Sexy girl..mmmm
That girl is sexy. If it was up to me, I would place my Xbox 360 on my front porch so someone could steal it. Afterwards, I would to able to call and talk to that sexy girl. Mmmm...
An intelligent person would just call anyway and ask some pointless FAQ to speak to said 'sexy' girl but then i imagine an intelligent person would realise that the girl in that picture has probably never been near a call centre.