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A Wisconsin robbery and auto theft suspect was captured by police thanks to a borrowed drone on May 31, according to court papers filed yesterday in Middleton, Wisconsin. The Wisconsin State Journal reports that Marquis Phiffer, 21, stole a car and robbed a convenience store in Middleton, Wisconsin on May 31.
After allegedly stealing a car that had been left running outside a coffee shop and robbing the store at a BP gas station (he declared he had a gun, but the clerk never saw one), Phiffer was pursued by police. A chase that reached speeds of up to 70mph ended when Phiffer crashed into a parked car. He abandoned the car and ran into a marsh near Tiedemann's Pond, just a few blocks from Middleton's National Mustard Museum.
The Middleton Fire Department lent the police a rubber raft and a camera-equipped DJI Phantom quadrocopter drone used in search and rescue operations to locate Phiffer. He was hiding in the water, and when the police reached him "his shoes were floating away from him," along with a "large wad of cash," Wisconsin State Journal's Ed Trevelen reported. More cash and a hypodermic needle were found in his pocket.
Seems like the same thing as calling in a chopper, but a lot less expensive. Anyone know what the cost differential is?
Original Submission
(Score: 2) by janrinok on Wednesday July 08 2015, @01:42PM
But using your logic where a few have abused a technology and therefore whole organisations must therefore never be allowed to use it again, you will now be arguing for gun control? I can't think of a bigger group of people that have shown themselves unable to manage the power that the technology has given them. Or, to quote you:
Yes, and people often do. We haven't banned cars because a few were used in robberies, have we? We haven't banned matches simply because some were used to set fire to buildings. And I don't know why you think that I support the government when I am very much against the abuses carried out by the NSA and GCHQ.
No, but the government has been elected by us - you know, the people - to 'govern' the country for us. Your arguments fall apart when they don't follow your own personal views - you argue one case when it suits you, and then quickly change tack when it might inconvenience you personally but actually be of benefit to the wider community. You would prefer a government that follows your wishes rather than those of the majority.
I get it - you don't like the police. You make this abundantly clear. You have again referred to them in a childish manner ('government thugs') although many of the police that you come into contact with will be local forces - which suggests that you dislike any kind of authority that isn't supporting your own personal viewpoint. The only acceptable change you will ever see is when you are the authority or government. I look forward to seeing how well you do in the coming elections - you will be standing won't you, or is it all talk again? Don't bother replying to that - I think I already know the answer.
(Score: 2) by Anal Pumpernickel on Wednesday July 08 2015, @02:13PM
Yes, and people often do. We haven't banned cars because a few were used in robberies, have we?
I'm done arguing with this line of reasoning, as I've already thoroughly debunked the notion that restricting the government's power is the same as restricting individual liberties.
And I don't know why you think that I support the government when I am very much against the abuses carried out by the NSA and GCHQ.
Well, why not? If you're going to say I'm being inconsistent based on extremely shallow logic, then surely the same sort of logic would apply to you.
Your arguments fall apart when they don't follow your own personal views - you argue one case when it suits you, and then quickly change tack when it might inconvenience you personally but actually be of benefit to the wider community.
It's just that you fail to understand the arguments at hand, and how they differ from other situations.
You would prefer a government that follows your wishes rather than those of the majority.
I prefer governments that respect our liberties and the law. And we don't have a direct democracy, which is a good thing.
I get it - you don't like the police.
I'm extremely cautious of the government in general, and for good reason; I actually read history. It's a necessary evil and nothing more.
You have again referred to them in a childish manner
That is not childish; when they act like thugs, they get called thugs. They have blatantly murdered people in cold blood; most stick up and lie for fellow thug officers who commit the most heinous abuses; the system fails to hold them accountable even for the worst abuses; they violate our privacy routinely and illegally; they steal innocent people's money and property through asset forfeiture; they are racist; and they just generally have a complete lack of respect for our liberties. The ones who are not like this and refuse to stand with the ones who are are worthy of the title of "police officer".
although many of the police that you come into contact with will be local forces
Local forces abuse people all the time. Not comforting.