cops stop driver, search car, take Xbox, tells driver to bring receipt of proof of ownership [View All]

[Liberal_in_LA]

WTF!

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2008/11/21/nguyen.xbox.taken.by.cops.wftv

http://www.wftv.com/news/18018574/detail.html

Deputy Takes Man's Xbox During Traffic Stop
Wednesday, November 19, 2008 – updated: 8:20 am EST November 20, 2008

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- The Orange County Sheriff's Office is trying to explain why a deputy walked off with someone else's Xbox following a traffic stop. The owner says he was in a car that got pulled over at Silver Star and Hiawassee roads for speeding, but instead of issuing a speeding ticket the deputy took his Xbox.

The owner showed up with the original box and receipt to claim his Xbox, but when deputies looked for it they couldn't find it in the evidence room.

Orange County deputies stopped Kenyatta Hillman and his friend on Friday afternoon for speeding. When deputies pulled them over, they searched the car because they said they smelled marijuana. They didn't find any drugs, but found an Xbox with eight games.

"He said, 'When you got your receipt and box and we'll meet someplace, you show me your receipt and I'll give you your game.' I didn't understand them," Hillman said.

The deputy ran the serial numbers and it did not come up as stolen, but he took the game system anyway. He told Hillman he wanted to make sure no one reported it stolen. Deputies told Eyewitness News there had been a lot of burglaries in the area and Xbox systems are hot.

Hillman then took his empty box and receipt to the sheriff's office to get his Xbox, but no one was able to find it.

They said, 'We don't know what is going on. It was no arrest, no police file, no case. We can't find it,'" Hillman said.

Hillman believes he was stopped because he's poor and the because of the way he looks.

"It's probably the neighborhood. It's probably, look at me, because of my hair, the way I dressed," he said.

When Eyewitness News called the Orange County Sheriff's Office, a spokesperson said they couldn't find the gaming system because it had not yet been transferred to the evidence room.

Later, Hillman got a hold of the supervisor, Sgt. Hosey. Hillman said Hosey told him he had the system and would give it back.

"'I can't do anything this week. I'll call you Friday and I'll meet you Friday and then give you your Xbox back,'" Hilman described.

The sheriff's office said it does not believe Hillman stole the system and he is free to pick it up. The sergeant who is handling the situation said he'll give it him Friday because he is busy during the week.

http://www.talkxbox.com/article2855.html

So the police officer decides to be extra safe and run the serial number of the Xbox 360, to make sure it wasn't stolen. The system comes up clean, but the officer takes the console anyway. After these events Hillman follows the officers instruction and shows up to the sheriff's station with his receipt, and Xbox 360 box. "They said, 'We don't know what is going on. It was no arrest, no police file, no case. We can't find it," Hillman said.

After getting the run-around, Hillman was able to get into contact with a supervisor at the department who informed him that they did have the Xbox 360, and it would be available for pick up on Friday. When prompted by the local media as to why the console couldn't be located the first time Hillman asked for it, a spokesperson said it was "because it had not yet been transferred to the evidence room."


Wow, that sure does have the makings of a suspect entertaining situation! I mean were the cops honestly, just doing a their job? Or were they trying to give this poor guy the shaft? I guess we'll never know, at least the poor guy will be getting his Xbox 360 and game back.