Florida Police Lure Fugitives With Stimulus Checks

[Johnny Bravo]

MIAMI —  Police in Florida are using the promise of a stimulus check to make some arrests.

Authorities in Fort Lauderdale say they sent letters to fugitives offering them stimulus money. The suspects were asked to call a hot line and set up an appointment to pickup a check from an auditorium where "South Florida Stimulus Coalition" banners hung.

When the fugitives arrived, they were identified and arrested on offenses ranging from grand theft to fraud to attempted murder.

Police spokesman Sgt. Frank Sousa says the two-day sting was dubbed "Operation Show Me The Money." Sousa says the sting saved man hours and allowed police to make arrests in a controlled environment.

Sousa said Thursday the department may try something similar in the future.
Associated press - Saturday Aug 29th,2009   

[TAB]

"they don't catch the smart ones"

[tt11758]

"they don't catch the smart ones"

There are no smart criminals.  At least none that are as smart as they THINK they are.

This isn't really news.  They've done it in other places with NFL season tickets, big screen TV's, new cars, etc.  Anything to get the greedy buggers to show up and claim their "prize".   

[Kid Shelleen]

Throw away the key!!!

[PegLeg45]

I used to work with a retired SO deputy and he told me they used a similar trick when looking for hard-to-find parole violators and such (empty envelope and the claim of returning money that was found at the jail).

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