Martin teen accused of trying to get victim to buy back own cell phone

[Walter Cronkite]

Joshua Taneal Curry

A 16-year-old boy has been accused of stealing a Winter Park man's cell phone and later attempting to extort money from the man in exchange for the cell phone's return, according to a report released Wednesday by the Martin County Sheriff's Office.

Joshua Taneal Curry of the 400 block of Southeast Lake Street in Stuart has been charged with auto burglary, grand theft, extortion armed with a gun, possession of a firearm by a delinquent under the age of 24, carrying a concealed firearm and wearing a mask while committing an offense.

The report says the victim spent the night at a friend's house in the 1900 block of Northeast Acapulco Drive and awoke Saturday morning to find his cell phone and charger missing from his vehicle.

When the victim called his cell phone, a boy later identified as Curry answered and told the victim he would need to pay $150 to get his cell phone back. According to the report, Curry then sent the victim several text messages requesting $240 for the return of the phone.

The victim agreed to meet the boy in the parking lot of Shells Restaurant in the 100 block of Southwest Monterey Road and pay him the money for the phone. Curry warned the victim he would be armed with a gun, so if the victim didn't bring the full amount of cash "it would be sorry for him," the report says.

On Saturday afternoon, deputies accompanied the victim when he went to meet Curry.

According to the report, Curry emerged from a pickup truck with a hooded mask covering his head and face and walked around the west side of the restaurant to meet the victim. Deputies moved in and arrested Curry when they saw him walking through the parking lot.

The report states Curry had an unloaded .38-caliber revolver in his waistband and the victim's cell phone and charger in his pocket when he was taken into custody. In the pickup truck, deputies found several bullets and a bag of fireworks mortar with a fuse.

Curry said he armed himself in case the victim had a gun and said he had hoped to make quick money from the victim.

He also denied he was in a gang, the report says, but detectives found several pictures on the stolen phone showed Curry posing with the gun and flashing gang signs.

Curry was turned over to the Department of Juvenile Justice on Saturday, according to Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Rhonda Irons.

Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers, while customarily not naming juveniles accused of crimes, does name some juveniles depending on the seriousness of the crime, their age, aggravating circumstances and other factors.

Source: http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2009/jan/...-buy-back-own/

[Modern Arts]

My roommate found a chick's cell phone at a concert the other day. He called her sister, somehow found her in the contact list, and she came to pick it up. She gave us a package of chocolate covered peanuts, raisins, and almonds as a thank you.

This guy shoulda said he found it, and hoped for reward peanuts. sucker.

[AndySMC]

I found a cell phone in the street once, and instead of going out of my way to find the owner, simply waited for someone to call. When the phone rang and "Home" was blinking on the display, I figured this is probably the owner. She simply came to where I was and I gave her the phone. She offered cash and I refused, because I had lost my phone the month before, and knew the situation she was in.

I can see how what happened to me could easily be confused with theft of a phone, depending on the owner of the phone.

Maybe I shouldn't be a good samaritian anymore?

[Sodomy]

This isn't quite a cell phone finders story, but here goes anyway:

I was at the grocery store this weekend and went to get a cart from the cart corral. The cart I grabbed had a old person's walking cane in it, so I did what any considerate person of this message board would do. I rubbed the cane handle on my sweaty balls and then turned it into the lost and found desk.

/pro: you get your cane back
//con: your hand smells like taint