Last updated April 12, 2019
Three people who stole a cell phone and then held it to ransom have been arrested by police in Glendale in the United States. A man went to the cinema at Bayshore Mall and lost his cell phone in the movie theater, only to find the phone held for ransom by the person who found it. An IPic employee stumbled upon the old cell phone and then sent a text message to its owner that it would cost him $550 dollars if he ever wanted to see it again.
The man and his wife did not consider the phone to be worth the money, but there were some much-loved photographs stored on the device, so they wanted it back. Instead of paying the ransom however, the couple headed to see Glendale Police, who decided to set up a sting to capture the cell phone kidnapper.
The culprit told the couple to meet him at Walgrens at 76th and Mill Road, which is in Milwaukee, with the $550. Unfortunately for the suspect, when he handed over the phone, he did not get $550 but a ticket to the police station for him and his partner, courtesy of the undercover cop who was posing as the victim’s wife. Another man was also later arrested for his part in the bizarre ransom plot, which police admit is one of the dumber schemes they have encountered.
The IPic employee who discovered the cell phone was also fired from his job.