NYPD using Facebook, MySpace to gather evidence against criminals

Well, at least somebody is still using MySpace. [/obligatory]

NYPD cops spoke to a local paper about how much of a boon the sharing-happy phenomenon of social media has been to investigations, since some folks, it seems, are prone to divulge criminal activity via the status update feature. Police spoke of one cerebrally-challenged petty thief who dropped a dime on himself by adding a Facebook wall post in which he sported purloined bling from a robbery a week prior:

“He’s sitting on the couch, and then there’s a close-up of his hand with the ring out,” the cop said. “It’s very distinguishable, with blue and white stones.”

The victim quickly identified the jewelry after viewing the image, and the man and an accomplice are now serving five years. The ease with which cops can snare criminals has even law enforcement brass feeling sorry for the poor felons:

“It’s almost become unfair,” said a law-enforcement source. “Facebook and MySpace are killing these guys.”

Cops say drug dealers and gangs are among te easiest to track down, because they “put a lot of stuff out there.”

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