Indiana Jones Gets Robbed

HotChk101 writes "Over 2000 production stills, plenty of sensitive paperwork including a complete production budget breakdown, possibly the script from Indiana Jones 4 and multiple computers were stolen from Steven Spielberg's Universal Studio office. The thief started contacting multiple entertainment websites including TMZ.com and offering the stolen goods for a sum of $2000.00."

Re:$2000?!?!?

[phantomfive]

They caught him already. He tried to sell the stuff to a member of the press, who reported it to the police, and a sting operation was carried out. Read the article. :)

Apparently one TV station actually did buy it and was about to reveal what they had found until Paramount's lawyers stepped in. Which although normally I'm rather opposed to lawyers, in this case I'm rather ambivalent about it; who wants to have the show spoiled for them anyway?

It happened to Coppola, too...

[BobMcD]

A very similar thing happened to Coppola a few days back:

http://www.zap2it.com/movies/news/zap-coppolascriptburgled,0,3773984.story [zap2it.com]

Re:$2000?

[drakaan]

...I hope no one buys the stuff and they get caught. This kind of theft is certainly less harmful than stealing someone's life savings, but it's still criminal, and I'd still like to see justice done.

I'm reminded of a meme that's missing from the currently active slashdot poll, namely "RTFA".

From the article:

...We have been told that the thief was apprehended by LAPD and the FBI with the help of a member of the online press that had been offered the stolen property. Sources tell us that an undercover sting operation was set in motion late last night with the help of the unnamed member of the online press...

Re:err, hello.

[crow]

No. You are a thief from the moment you commit the crime. The media will say "alleged" because they don't want to make a judgement, especially if doing so can get them sued.

Further, if there was a theft, then it was committed by a thief. Since they haven't accused someone, there is no alleged thief, but since someone did it, there is a thief.

Of course, some have said that it is an alleged theft, because it may have been an authorized publicity stunt, so it may not have been stealing. (Though there would be an issue with filing a false police report or something like that.)

Used to work on the Paramount lot...

[C10H14N2]

...so I'm getting a kick...

No, really, once you're past the front gate, it is absolutely astonishing how little security there is. Unless you're obviously over-the-top out of place (like, say, streaking, maybe), people just leave you alone--and hauling a cart full of equipment back and forth to the parking lot is actually /less/ suspicious in that environment than wandering around with nothing in hand.

I mean, just imagine what a nightmare a facility like that would be if they stopped and questioned everyone pushing a loaded dolly.