Lulz

Dancing Thief Turns in Stolen Computer, Begs to be Un-Youtubed

By Adrianne Jeffries 3/22/11 6:16pm

The thief who stole a Macbook Air from hyper-entrepreneur, threewords.me creator and weekend New Yorker Mark Bao has turned the machine in to the police and sent Mr. Bao a note asking for forgiveness. The impetus is likely this video of the thief attempting to pop-and-lock to “Rubber Band Man” Tyga’s “Make It Rain” recorded on the stolen Macbook Air, retrieved by remote access and posted to YouTube, Vimeo and Reddit. “Can you please put down the videos you put of me,” the thief wrote in a note posted by The Next Web’s Courtney Boyd Myers.

Apparently not; the video is still up, at 376,838 views and counting, and Mr. Bao’s thirst for revenge yet unslaked. “Update on laptop: laptop recovered! Police were preparing a warrant, but the guy was smart and just turned it in. wish I got more lulz in,” he tweeted.

Adrianne Jeffries is the editor of Betabeat. Follow Adrianne on Twitter or via RSS. ajeffries@observer.com

topics: Lulz, mark bao
  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=14802944 Melanie Hanson

    This thief apparently doesn’t understand how the internet works. Once it’s out there, it’s out there forever, kid.

  • http://mattlanger.com langer

    YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES

  • W.T. McNair

    He committed a crime and his video should remain up as a warning to others that crime doesn’t pay.

  • Aftsteering

    Why shouldn’t the warrant go forward? He stole property. I can understand the courts giving some leniency for turning it in, but he should still suffer some legal consequences for his actions.

  • Aftsteering

    Why shouldn’t the warrant go forward? He stole property. I can understand the courts giving some leniency for turning it in, but he should still suffer some legal consequences for his actions.

  • Tripp

    Really? Ask the guys over on Wallstreet about that. They will have a different story.

  • Neil

    lol muppet

  • Marquise

    Lol! He is a idiot. But you guys are also idiots. You got the wrong song. FAIL!!! Every black guy doesnt sound the same. The song is called Make it Rain by Travis Porter.

    Commented by a Black Guy

  • http://www.emberstudio.com Mike McDonald

    Hilarious. He should consider himself lucky he’s not facing charges and only has to put up with the YouTube humiliation.

  • DAVE

    @Marquise it donmt matter who the or what the song is as its sh1t regardless .. either way fairplay to m8ty for posting video lolz at m8ty for “please take vid down” postit i wonder if he’d felt so remorsefull if hed not been shown up for the blithering fool he is still i suppose it couldve been worse ……. he couldve filmed him self playing with himself :)

  • brian

    Does no one else thing this might be a publicity stunt?

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_RWT6CWINZEXETLPIYEYYEJQNPE starnapper

    I hope he is stilled charged with the theft. He still stole someone elses property and has now even confessed. He didn’t even return it because he regretted his criminal actions or had a change of heart or change of life. He only did it because he knew that he had been identified by the video and would soon be arrested. If not for this he would have kept the computer along with anything that he had stolen in the past and didn’t get caught for, or anything he would have/will still in the future.

  • Victor K

    So did this idiot get arrested?

  • Jamal Acoillo

    Mark Bao, people like you make me sick. You freaking steal someones hard earned property so you can screw around on it. I hope you get what you deserve. Way to represent your ethnic community as a thief.

  • JL

    uh…you do realize Mark Bao is the person who got his laptop stolen, not the thief, right?

  • John Dough

    Stay in school, kids.

  • ForrestK

    The thief needs to be jailed. In some countries he would lose a right hand, and steal again lose a left foot. In other countries he would be shot and left to die in a ditch. Not saying any of this is fair – just pointing out some people take our laws and life for granted without a second thought for others and their property. Shame, SHAME on the criminal.

  • Anonymous

    Don’t call Mark Bao a thief.
    He was the owner of the laptop.

    Hope the video gets a million hits!

  • Anonymous

    Face down on the bunk, newbie, and drop them drawers!
    Ain’t nobody here had any a** in a long time!

  • The Matrix

    You are now famous, you dancing moron… Look forward to see how your future unfolds :)

  • Just a guy

    Yeah, the punishment has to be worse than merely undoing the crime, unless the chances of getting caught are 100%.   
    For instance you’re close to 100% likely to get caught not paying your taxes, so the penalties are a small fraction of the total tax.  

    But your chances of getting caught cheating on a “proof of payment” train ride are only about 1 in 10, so the penalty must be a great deal more than 10x the normal train fare. 

    By that theory, if this guy steals again, the odds are 100 to 1 of the victim being able to track him like this. The guy isn’t going to be deterred by the notion that the next laptop he steals will be owned by someone this smart … so the penalty must be a great deal more than 100 to 1.   

    At the very least, he needs to be identified and known to the police, so he’s on the list of “usual suspects” when something gets stolen.  That might deter him. 

  • Just a guy

    Yeah, the punishment has to be worse than merely undoing the crime, unless the chances of getting caught are 100%.   
    For instance you’re close to 100% likely to get caught not paying your taxes, so the penalties are a small fraction of the total tax.  

    But your chances of getting caught cheating on a “proof of payment” train ride are only about 1 in 10, so the penalty must be a great deal more than 10x the normal train fare. 

    By that theory, if this guy steals again, the odds are 100 to 1 of the victim being able to track him like this. The guy isn’t going to be deterred by the notion that the next laptop he steals will be owned by someone this smart … so the penalty must be a great deal more than 100 to 1.   

    At the very least, he needs to be identified and known to the police, so he’s on the list of “usual suspects” when something gets stolen.  That might deter him. 

  • Kdjhs

     The warrant is only to search and seize the property I’m sure.

  • Zippybiker9

    that is hilarious! that is the perfect way to serve revenge! I would be so embarassed to see me dancing on youtube! the irony of this all. 

  • another Brian

     That was my first thought.

  • another Brian

     That was my first thought.

  • Castillog06

     maybe we should now post jamal post on youtube or social site……..”How not to read an article” lol

  • Castillog06

     maybe we should now post jamal post on youtube or social site……..”How not to read an article” lol

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/James-G-Camp/1812519877 James G. Camp

     It’s up to the police now, I’m sure if the owner is willing to press charges, they can carry this forward. But then again Ontario to NYC to nail the guy. It’s bad enough the world knows who he is and his name. Gotta be tough to try to run a legitimate business now, even embarrassing to show up to work.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/James-G-Camp/1812519877 James G. Camp

     It’s up to the police now, I’m sure if the owner is willing to press charges, they can carry this forward. But then again Ontario to NYC to nail the guy. It’s bad enough the world knows who he is and his name. Gotta be tough to try to run a legitimate business now, even embarrassing to show up to work.

  • saxophone

     For the people saying this is a publicity stunt could you at least back up your comments with some evidence, like say a link to a website showing that Bao is a silent partner in Backblaze you toss accusations around but are too lazy to check facts and if it is staged you can’t say it’s not effective unless Backblaze is truly useless which I doubt

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_K5MZGCVI3AF7AGPYXZ4KCMTXIU Bob

    There is NOTHING the police could do that’s as embarrassing as the video of this little boy trying to be cool dancing like some old white guy. Too bad Jon Stewart doesn’t show this clip, Mister Saturday Night Fever will have to move to West Palm Beach and be cool with the old people. Hear that, moron? That’s New York (and the rest of America)  LAUGHING at you!

  • Valrie_sanders

    Great Job! Mr. Bao,
    Hope this  will be an eye opener for thieves. You never know who is watching or better yet what is watching you take what does not belong to you. To the young thief, sometimes apology is not enough for wrong doing, a little humiliationn helps.
    LadyinMemphis56 

  • http://twitter.com/Hootie56 Julian Liss

    cool

  • Ma4931

    you’re an idiot!!!

  • arthur

    Good job.

  • Martymcfly700

    i hate people that steal….get a job and work for your own things 

  • Neal28173

     Ya,savage beatings by the arresting officers, i mean billy clubs, tazers and broken ribs and knees and then a 6 month jail sentence and then you have to wear a microphone that alerts people that you are a train riding fraud…ya that should be at least 10 times the normal train fare…you will know the usual suspect as a cripple who has this damn microphone denouncing him as  a thief.

  • Franko

    That guy is a fool plus another half a fool. And I might add he’s a lousy dancer. I don’t know how he can call that dancing? One thing he does have is a misplaced ego. He should be crawling on the floor like the worm he is, and begging for forgiveness. I say leave it up on YouTube. Maybe he’ll continue on his path of dishonesty and end up in the ‘big house’ someday, and his notoriety having proceeded him he’ll already have a job as a bitch for some huge guy whose in for life with nothing to lose. Then he’ll really understand the meaning of “payback’s a bitch”, LITERALLY !!!  

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_FVA4KGUHIQWHIYSYUAOHZPMRFI Minnie

     what a douche bag!

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_FVA4KGUHIQWHIYSYUAOHZPMRFI Minnie

     what a douche bag!

  • Jane

    Im glad this stupid thief was caught!

  • John

    Warrants are not designed to recover stolen property.  Only to apprehend persons.  The bottom line is, had he not been identified, he’d have kept or pawned the laptop without a second thought.  I would say he’s nothing but a turd, but even a turd is good for something.

  • John

    Warrants are not designed to recover stolen property.  Only to apprehend persons.  The bottom line is, had he not been identified, he’d have kept or pawned the laptop without a second thought.  I would say he’s nothing but a turd, but even a turd is good for something.

  • Brownchetney

    Stealing is not the answer.People work hard for what they have and to have someone stealing it from you,shows that he has no honor.I think that he should keep dancing on youtube for the next ten years. 

  • Ferrary Gurl

    Huge lesson for him :) he ruined his own future..pitty him :)

  • Juststoppingby

     His future isn’t over from one stupid video or theft.  What an idiot to think that!

  • Ubercrunk

    Sweet Jesus Jamal Acoillo… do the world a favor and don’t ever procreate.

  • Ndufcat

     Jamal Aciollo, Mark Bao is the victim here. You got it all wrong. Read to comprehend brother!

  • Ndufcat

     Jamal Aciollo, Mark Bao is the victim here. You got it all wrong. Read to comprehend brother!

  • alan

    That is why I have a smart card in my new camera. All it has to do is get near an open wireless signal and it downloads the pics to my online account. Several camera thieves have been caught by this already.

  • Luetta

    I love it!!  This is the best solution yet for disrespectful people who are too lazy to work for things and steal from others.

  • Laura

    This is HILARIOUS!!! I’m so happy that Mr. Bao got the last laugh and the rest of us get to laugh right along with him!

  • Xerxestonn

    Idiot… Didn’t see that blowing up in his face..  Light travels faster than sound.
    That’s why most people seem bright until
    you hear them speak.

  • Xerxestonn

    Idiot… Didn’t see that blowing up in his face..  Light travels faster than sound.
    That’s why most people seem bright until
    you hear them speak.

  • Suzie-Q

    Nothing but a LYING THIEF!  Only “asking for forgiveness” because he got CAUGHT!  He is NOT a class act … nothing but a LOSER!  What an embarrassment to his family.  Hope he continues to be humiliated for a LONG … LONG … LONG time!  A REAL gentleman would have made effort to return what did not belong to him.  Not spend time recording stupid dances and trying to access bank accounts that he did not own.  What a FOOL!

  • http://twitter.com/zoomblir phill

    you what?

  • http://twitter.com/zoomblir phill

    mediocre

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