BudSooner
8/22/2006, 07:57 PM
Tulsa Man Sought In Connection With 700 Missing Cell Phones
KOTV - 8/22/2006 10:15 AM - Updated: 8/22/2006 5:03 PM
700 missing cell phones and a suspect on the run. Tulsa Police are looking for a man they say stole a carload of cell phones from a company in east Tulsa.
News on 6 crime reporter Lori Fullbright says the crime happened in February, at the same time the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security issued joint bulletins to police departments about the connection between cell phones and terrorism.
Tulsa Police say they've looked everywhere for the man and now need the public's help. He shows up in a surveillance video from a Tulsa business that refurbishes and sells cell phones. Police say the company fired Christopher Kates and he later came back with his passkey and loaded up cell phones.
Tulsa Police Detective Debra Glenn: “he loaded up wheeled laundry baskets full of brand new cell phones and pushed them to the back door. We assume there was a second person since there was a vehicle in the video."
Police have a felony warrant out for Kates' arrest, but say they can't find him. They hope the public can help, because that many cell phones raises all kinds of fears. "You don't steal 700 cell phones without a buyer. We know terrorists are trying to get ahold of cell phones to communicate with each other or to use as detonators. That was our immediate concern."
Tulsa Police decided to ask for help now because two men were arrested recently in Ohio with dozens of phones and some Texas men were arrested in Michigan with 1,000 cell phones. The Ohio terrorism charges were dropped, but the Michigan case is still moving forward. The men in both cases say they were simply buying the phones to resell them at a profit. But the US Attorney General says since cell phones can be terrorism tools, it's legitimate to question large purchases.
The missing cell phones from Tulsa are traceable, but haven't shown up. "They all have unique serial numbers and have been entered into the NCIC database so if they show up anywhere in the country, we'll know, but there haven't been any hits so far."
Tulsa Police did contact the joint terrorism task force members and they are also interested in finding and talking to Christopher Kates. Kates has been seen in a white Corsica and a black Isuzu Trooper.
If anyone sees him, they're asked to call 911. If anyone has general information about him, they can call Crimestoppers at 596-COPS.
http://kotv.com/news/?109782
KOTV - 8/22/2006 10:15 AM - Updated: 8/22/2006 5:03 PM
700 missing cell phones and a suspect on the run. Tulsa Police are looking for a man they say stole a carload of cell phones from a company in east Tulsa.
News on 6 crime reporter Lori Fullbright says the crime happened in February, at the same time the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security issued joint bulletins to police departments about the connection between cell phones and terrorism.
Tulsa Police say they've looked everywhere for the man and now need the public's help. He shows up in a surveillance video from a Tulsa business that refurbishes and sells cell phones. Police say the company fired Christopher Kates and he later came back with his passkey and loaded up cell phones.
Tulsa Police Detective Debra Glenn: “he loaded up wheeled laundry baskets full of brand new cell phones and pushed them to the back door. We assume there was a second person since there was a vehicle in the video."
Police have a felony warrant out for Kates' arrest, but say they can't find him. They hope the public can help, because that many cell phones raises all kinds of fears. "You don't steal 700 cell phones without a buyer. We know terrorists are trying to get ahold of cell phones to communicate with each other or to use as detonators. That was our immediate concern."
Tulsa Police decided to ask for help now because two men were arrested recently in Ohio with dozens of phones and some Texas men were arrested in Michigan with 1,000 cell phones. The Ohio terrorism charges were dropped, but the Michigan case is still moving forward. The men in both cases say they were simply buying the phones to resell them at a profit. But the US Attorney General says since cell phones can be terrorism tools, it's legitimate to question large purchases.
The missing cell phones from Tulsa are traceable, but haven't shown up. "They all have unique serial numbers and have been entered into the NCIC database so if they show up anywhere in the country, we'll know, but there haven't been any hits so far."
Tulsa Police did contact the joint terrorism task force members and they are also interested in finding and talking to Christopher Kates. Kates has been seen in a white Corsica and a black Isuzu Trooper.
If anyone sees him, they're asked to call 911. If anyone has general information about him, they can call Crimestoppers at 596-COPS.
http://kotv.com/news/?109782