By Kelly Faircloth 5/23 11:17am

Hack Hack Hack Hack It Apart

Awkward! (Photo: Flickr, Rev Stan)

NYPD Cop Accused of Hacking Many, Many of His Colleagues’ Emails

Well, here’s some not-particularly-reassuring news about one of New York’s finest: An NYPD detective named Edwin Vargas has been arrested for “computer hacking crimes.”

The feds say Mr. Vargas shelled out $4,000 to an email hacking service to get log-in credentials for at least 43 email accounts belonging to at least 30 different people (21 of them affiliated with the NYPD). He’s also alleged to have accessed the National Crime Information Center database. Read More

By Jeremy Unger 4/26 3:44pm

Data and the City

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City Council Takes NYPD To Task For Transparency, Passes Open Crime Data Law

Say what you will about the New York City Council, but the group really likes its open data. One thing the group isn’t in love with, however, is the New York Police Department’s lack of transparency. So in order to increase the accountability of police officers, yesterday the City Council unanimously approved a measure that will create a crime map and database that will allow citizens to view crime data and locations in their specific neighborhoods, according to the New York World. Read More

By Jordan Valinsky 4/15 10:34am

iCrimeBusters

Not smart. (Photo: Hashgram)

Kingpin’s Online Bragging About Strippers and Parties Leads to Cocaine Delivery Service Bust

There are limits on how much your social media presence should reflect your personal brand. For starters: It’s probably best not to brag about your highly illegal drug-dealing activities. On Friday, the NYPD announced it had arrested 41 alleged gang members after one of their higher ranking kingpins, Adrian Rivera, boasted online about his expansive door-to-door cocaine-dealing service.

Police began their investigation two years ago, when undercover officers began purchasing cocaine from Rivera. The only identifying information they had was his nickname, “Ace.” So, the force began trawling the Internet for his Facebook and Instagram accounts, where they discovered pictures of him living the high life of partying with strippers and flashing gang symbols. Read More

By Jordan Valinsky 4/05 10:35am

iCrimeBusters

A "sandwich." (Photo: Hashgram)

NYPD Captures 63 Gang Members Because They Referred to Guns as ‘Biscuits’ on Facebook

Gangs may soon join teens in the “totally over Facebook” collective. The NYPD announced yesterday that it has arrested 63 members from three East Harlem gangs, after they left a trail of evidence boasting about their exploints online.

Authorities said the members—all men, 16 to 25—are responsible for 30 non-fatal shootings in the neighborhood since 2009. When using Facebook to plan their hits, they often used slang words. For example, guns were identified as “biscuit” or “clickety,” while ammunition were often labeled as “sea shellz” and “gas.” Read More

By Jessica Roy 4/03 5:33pm

Crime and Punishment

(Screencap: YouTube)

Internet Commenters Help NYPD Track Down Brooklyn Subway Mugger

Yesterday a video of a 56-year-old woman being brutally mugged in the F train station in Brooklyn’s Borough Park neighborhood went viral. The video shows a woman descending the stairs into the station before she is pushed up against a door and hit and kicked. The assailant then empties her purse, grabs some items and chases after her through the station. Though the crime occurred on March 9th, the NYPD released the video with the hopes that viewers would be able to help them ID the perp. Read More