Crooks are not smart

[displacedinMN]

A South St. Paul burglar effectively updated his status to "busted" when he logged into Facebook on a computer in the home he broke into, prosecutors say.

Nicholas Steven Wig, 26, was charged Friday in Dakota County District Court with second-degree burglary. He remained jailed Tuesday with bail set at $25,000.

According to the criminal complaint filed against Wig:

The incident took place June 19 at a home in the 600 block of Concord Street North in South St. Paul. The homeowner came in to find the residence in disarray, with a screen missing from a window and items like cash, credit cards, a checkbook and a watch missing from the bedroom.

He noticed a wet pair of jeans and tennis shoes on the floor. He also noticed a Facebook page -- "Nick Dub" -- open on his computer.

The person in the page was later identified as Wig, the complaint said.

The homeowner made contact with Wig later that day. Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom said the homeowner was ultimately the one who tracked the man down before calling police.

"I've never heard of this occurring before," Backstrom said of the circumstances of the alleged break-in. It's obviously fairly unique."

When police found Wig, he was wearing the watch that went missing in the burglary, according to the charges.

Police asked if he had items that didn't belong to him. He said he was going to give everything back, the charges said.

After police read Wig his Miranda rights, he said he came into the house through an unlocked front door.

He said he changed into clothing he found in the home because his own clothes were wet, according to the charges.

"He made himself at home," Backstrom said.

Wig admitted to using the computer and taking the missing items, the charges said.

Wig has prior convictions in Minnesota for second-degree burglary, misdemeanor domestic assault and petty misdemeanor marijuana possession, according to court records.

There was no Facebook login in the prior burglary case, Backstrom said.

Wig is next due in court on the new charges July 15.


^idiot to be charged

Marino Eccher can be reached at 651-228-5421. Follow him at twitter.com/marinoeccher.


Where is the stupid crooks thread?

[Rasputin]

Where is the stupid crooks thread?



Oh you should try Florida news first.


This sounds like it should be Florida dumb news.

[displacedinMN]

I love the Florida thread. Always good for a laugh.

[Chief Roundup]

No shit....That is why they are crooks.

[BullJunkandIron]

This belongs in Meet an Inmate thread.

[BigMeatballDave]

Water is wet

[crazycoffey]

The dumb ones; keep us in business.... The smart ones? Well, few and far between not withstanding, don't usually get pinched.

[Eleazar]

You don't want to have ears like trophy handles in prison.