World of Warcraft helps catch a crook (lol)
http://videogames.yahoo.com/events/plugged-in/warcraft-helps-catch-...
Criminals can run, but they can't hide. Especially if they play World of Warcraft.
Just ask Alfred Hightower. Having successfully left the country to avoid being nabbed for dealing drugs, the fugitive figured he was home free. But thanks to his insistence on keeping up with his World of Warcraft habit, Hightower was tracked down by authorities and is now in custody, reports The Kokomo Perspective.
The saga begins in 2007, when Indiana's Howard County Sheriff's Department issued a warrant for Hightower's arrest on charges of dealing in multiple controlled substances. U.S. Marshals were unable to locate the suspect, although a tip placed him in Canada.
According to Howard County deputy Matt Roberson, authorities came upon the Warcraft connection during their investigation into Hightower's background.
“We received information that this guy was a regular player of an online game, which was referred to as ‘some warlock and witches’ game,” he told The Perspective. “None of that information was sound enough to pursue on its own, but putting everything we had together gave me enough evidence to send a subpoena to Blizzard Entertainment. I knew exactly what he was playing — World of Warcraft. I used to play it. It’s one of the largest online games in the world.”
Blizzard played ball, giving up Hightower's account history, IP address, screen name, billing address and preferred game server. One Google Earth search later, and Canadian authorities had apprehended Hightower in Ottowa, Ontario.
“You hear stories about you can’t get someone through the Internet,” said Roberson. “Guess what??You can. I just did. Here you are, playing World of Warcraft, and you never know who you’re playing with.”
Warcraft is just the latest ally in gaming's war against crime. Several weeks ago, police tracked down a New York thief by tracing his online gaming on a stolen Xbox. Federal officials have even begun using Sony's Playstation 3 to crack passwords used by child pornographers.
Criminals can run, but they can't hide. Especially if they play World of Warcraft.
Just ask Alfred Hightower. Having successfully left the country to avoid being nabbed for dealing drugs, the fugitive figured he was home free. But thanks to his insistence on keeping up with his World of Warcraft habit, Hightower was tracked down by authorities and is now in custody, reports The Kokomo Perspective.
The saga begins in 2007, when Indiana's Howard County Sheriff's Department issued a warrant for Hightower's arrest on charges of dealing in multiple controlled substances. U.S. Marshals were unable to locate the suspect, although a tip placed him in Canada.
According to Howard County deputy Matt Roberson, authorities came upon the Warcraft connection during their investigation into Hightower's background.
“We received information that this guy was a regular player of an online game, which was referred to as ‘some warlock and witches’ game,” he told The Perspective. “None of that information was sound enough to pursue on its own, but putting everything we had together gave me enough evidence to send a subpoena to Blizzard Entertainment. I knew exactly what he was playing — World of Warcraft. I used to play it. It’s one of the largest online games in the world.”
Blizzard played ball, giving up Hightower's account history, IP address, screen name, billing address and preferred game server. One Google Earth search later, and Canadian authorities had apprehended Hightower in Ottowa, Ontario.
“You hear stories about you can’t get someone through the Internet,” said Roberson. “Guess what??You can. I just did. Here you are, playing World of Warcraft, and you never know who you’re playing with.”
Warcraft is just the latest ally in gaming's war against crime. Several weeks ago, police tracked down a New York thief by tracing his online gaming on a stolen Xbox. Federal officials have even begun using Sony's Playstation 3 to crack passwords used by child pornographers.
"Destroying the New World Order"
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE SITE!
Latest Activity
- Top News
- Everything
ancient lost worlds ~ DNA
"The area of Ket and Selkup peoples.There have been groups of people that have long…"
FEYNMAN: THE QUEST FOR TANNU TUVA (1988)
"Wow. And as strange coincidence this could be the very place of the great migration ( to America,…"
FEYNMAN: THE QUEST FOR TANNU TUVA (1988)
100th birthday present! Richard Feynman (1918-88), physicist, and his friend Ralph Leighton became fascinated by the remote and mysterious Asian country of T...
"That's right. Many countries head down that road into a terrorising future of Self ID-ers. (…"
Terror on All Hallows Eve Pt. 2 The Aftermath
Elizabeth had just gotten home from Junior High when the doorbell rang. She’d barely put her books…See More
"cheeki kea, I fear that we are headed further down the road of inhumanity institutionalized by the…"
"cheeki kea Thanks. I watched most of the movie but I'd forgotten until a few minutes into it…"
"That's a fine movie menu you've got Doc V. I love the old days theme. Great to view when…"
© 2025 Created by truth.
Powered by
