Computer guys, I need help solving a crime

Make a long story short, a good friend's tender for his large yacht was stolen. The boat was under insured (it had over a $100k in electronics alone) and as luck would have it, the boat was recovered completely stripped. A couple of months go by and some asshole approaches him and tells him that he's got the parts and will sell him everything back, the thief even goes so far as to text message a couple of photos of the parts. If I'm not mistaken, aren't the photos geotagged? If so, does anyone know how to get the location out of the photos?

 

Thanks in advance for the help guys, if successful and the info results in recovery of the stolen parts, there may be a decent sized reward as well.

I'd rather not post the photos online for obvious reasons, if anyone thinks they can extrapolate the data from the photos, I'll go ahead and forward the photos to you.

Yes no.

 

Not always present and you can edit a pic in paint and it will erase that info. By all means email the pic and I can see what if anything is there.

They may or may not be geotagged. Have you tried having the detective on the case trace the phone number the pictures were sent from?

They may or may not be geotagged. Have you tried having the detective on the case trace the phone number the pictures were sent from?

 

 

Detective on the case? LOL! The Miami Dade County Auto/Boat theft task force has been disbanded for budgetary reasons, the thieves have gone wild while the detectives that knew the business are in uniform reassigned to menial police work around the county.

In Windows ... you can try right clicking the image, then select properties, and then click the details tab. There is some metadata that can be viewed there.

 

You can also view the metadata using Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom.

In Windows ... you can try right clicking the image, then select properties, and then click the details tab. There is some metadata that can be viewed there.

 

You can also view the metadata using Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom.

 

 

Nada.

If cappy doesn't have photoshop, I can help

If you get nothing under properties in Windows it's probably cleaned...

 

But anyway check the file here.

 

Mike, shoot the picture to me and I will mine whatever data is attached. I'll PM you my email.

 

Best

Act like you are going to pay and he will lead you to the stuff then you whack him. Stop being such a pussy.

Shoot me the phone number and I'll run it for you. Probably a throw away phone though.

Thanks for the effort guys, so far it looks like I got ZERO. What fcuking sucks is that if I turn the cops on to the guy then I'll have to keep looking over my shoulder.

I know what you mean, this is not your everyday thief. This guy(s) have big 'ol balls. I would have the owner give the information to the cops, he's already in the mix and will not be running anymore risk.

 

I sent you my email if you are still interested.

 

Best

Thanks for the effort guys, so far it looks like I got ZERO. What fcuking sucks is that if I turn the cops on to the guy then I'll have to keep looking over my shoulder.

 

It's bullshit but peace of mind and your safety isn't worth the money, especially when its just your buddies stuff. Sucks,.but maybe he should just blow them off and wait for the stuff to come up for sale. I can't imagine gear like that shows up on the used market on a regular basis. Shit I would bet their plan all along was to sell it back to him.

Either that or cut his losses and buy the stuff back.

If it is indeed the original photo that you got, and he didn't cut and paste into another image, the easiest thing you'll get is the created date. If you check in the properties, under the summary tab, you should see the created software as well as the author, there's a slim chance something would appear there. The size of the photo, again if unmolested, can tell you the megapixel of the camera used, if cell phone, then can probably tell you the cell phone used as well. There may be a way to track the history of the image with the right tools, I'm not sure just yet, but I do have friends who are very good at this sort of thing so I can ask them about it. If they have an idea, I'll get the picture from you.

Tell them they will only do PayPal and them cancel after you get the stuff back lol. That sucks though. Where is Dexter when you need him

Man that really blows. I would be heated beyond all belief if someone stole my stuff and then tried to sell it back to me.

Thanks for the effort guys, so far it looks like I got ZERO. What fcuking sucks is that if I turn the cops on to the guy then I'll have to keep looking over my shoulder.

Damn. Miami is turning ugly. Best of luck.

Thanks for the effort guys, so far it looks like I got ZERO. What fcuking sucks is that if I turn the cops on to the guy then I'll have to keep looking over my shoulder.

 

Not worth it then...Unless you have the time and money to hire someone to rob them-and scare them off in the process.

Not worth it then...Unless you have the time and money to hire someone to rob them-and scare them off in the process.

 

 

Try Slip F-18 at Bahia Mar

It's bullshit but peace of mind and your safety isn't worth the money, especially when its just your buddies stuff. Sucks,.but maybe he should just blow them off and wait for the stuff to come up for sale. I can't imagine gear like that shows up on the used market on a regular basis. Shit I would bet their plan all along was to sell it back to him.

Either that or cut his losses and buy the stuff back.

 

I second your opinion, "peace of mind" has a higher value than the cost of the stolen goods, its messed up and the principal itself eats you up, but not worth getting yourself on some loser's "nothing to lose" radar.

 

If I were to consider hunting this SOB down, I would start by hiring a solid (ex-cop) PI, that can figure out more details from the Cell # that sent the photos, even if it was a pre-paid piece of junk, there are technical ways these days to at least get warmer to who/where this scumbag is, using that information just ring up dog the bounty hunter type, and offer em $10K for the stuff recovered.

 

Sad to hear about this, I hope it works out, scumbags waiting to mess with ppl's hard earned toys/property.

 

Best of luck !

 

 

It's an untenable situation. The fuckers took all the electronics, gps, plotter, sat phone, flir system, stereo, etc. If that wasn't enough, they then proceeded to take the t-top, all the rigging, all the upholstery, the bow thruster and both 350hp outboards.

 

While buying the parts back may seem like an easy solution, it's really not that simple as the serial numbers of all the missing components will come back as stolen. If you go ahead and pay the fuckers then the cops will wan't to know why you wan't the parts taken off the NCIC and state databases and just how you got the parts back! WTF!

 

 

In 1972 a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire the A-Team.

Try Slip F-18 at Bahia Mar

 

 

I had to google this! Nice.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travis_McGee