Mexican press attache caught stealing pocketful of White House staff BlackBerry handsets
By Will Park on Friday, April 25th, 2008 at 2:06 PM PST In Random
Alleged handset theft happens all the time, it’s the reason we should all keep our precious mobile phones guarded at all times. But, that bit of common sense seems to have been too much for the White House. Apparently, heightened security measures required that White House staff leave their sensitive-data-filled BlackBerries on an unattended table outside a conference room where the Mexican delegation was meeting with President Bush. The opportunity to make off with a few of these handsets was just too much for Rafael Quintero Curiel, who left the conference early and swiped said BlackBerries.
Rafael Quintero Curiel, lead press attache for the Mexican media delegation, was caught on camera stuffing his pockets with as many BlackBerry (NSDQ: RIMM) handsets as would fit. He promptly headed to the airport before the Secret Service intervened.
Curiel was apprehended and confronted by the Secret Service, upon which the Mexican press attache claimed it was all an accident – he thought the phones were left behind and was merely trying to return them to their rightful owners. Curiel was released on diplomatic immunity and sent on his way south of the border. The Mexican Embassy has issued a statement that Curiel was to tender his resignation upon returning to Mexico City.
[Via: FOX News]
I want to give them the benefit of the doubt, but sometimes the US Gov just sounds like a bureaucratic ‘tard farm… Government officials should not be separated from their BB’s unless they’re under strict security. The fact they were sitting out in the open is appalling.
Agreed, they deserved it. I can see why they wouldn’t want them in the meeting for security purposes but leaving them on an open table? That was just a stupid move! They should have let the guy go to teach those dumb apes a lesson. But ofcourse they can easily afford another but it would still be a minor inconvience. lol.
I just got back from Mexico, and they’re pretty poor. I can see why he’d wanna take off w/ them