9 September 2012

Have you seen these suspected firebugs?

| johnboy
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suspicious youth

ACT Policing is seeking to identify two youths who may be able to provide information relating to a deliberately lit grass fire near Justice Kelly St in Forde around 1.30pm yesterday (Saturday, September 8).

A quick-thinking local resident saw the smoke and used a garden hose to bring the fire under control, with ACT Fire and Rescue arriving a short time later to completely extinguish the blaze.

The fire, which burnt an area of around 100 square metres, was deemed suspicious and given the blustery wind conditions, had the strong potential to spread to nearby property if not for the timely intervention of the local resident.

Two youths had been seen acting suspiciously in the area in the lead-up to the fire and were seen running from the scene. They were also seen later in the Forde area.

Both of the boys are described as being in their early to mid-teens. One had red-brown hair, was wearing an acqua-coloured “hoodie” and dark-coloured shorts. He was carrying a skateboard and a backpack. The second was wearing a dark-coloured “hoodie”, with black pants, white shoes and has short, brown hair. He was also carrying a skateboard.

Police would urge anyone who may be able to identify these two teenagers to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via the Crime Stoppers website on www.act.crimestoppers.com.au. Information can be provided anonymously.

[Courtesy ACT Policing]

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Wow ok. So someone took that photo with their camera of some kids who at that stage hadn’t been known to be linked with anything like a fire? I would be careful taking random photos of every 13 year old boy who passes by, just saying.

Truthiness said :

That is not security camera footage, our glorious local constabulary have once again demonstrated their utter lack of IT knowledge and have failed to strip the EXIF data from the image, its from a blackberry 9800 phone.

Wow, that is *really* slack of the cops. Lucky the exif doesn’t include a geo-coded location of the helpful member of the public’s’ yard. Unlikely to be an issue here, but if I ever photograph violent drug dealing psychopaths, I’ll be sure to strip the exif myself (or replace it with inaccurate by humorous data).

That is not security camera footage, our glorious local constabulary have once again demonstrated their utter lack of IT knowledge and have failed to strip the EXIF data from the image, its from a blackberry 9800 phone.

I won’t spoil the rest of the embedded details, needless to say, in the wrong circumstance leaving such identifying information in the image could be life threatening. Strangely enough it is always those of us who find the info that get in trouble, which is presumably why it keeps happening.

where are these cameras? I wasn’t aware that there were surveillance cameras around the area. Or is it someone’s private camera?

Boy facing arson charges over bush fire which closed F3

It’s probably not too far from the truth to say that most young boys are pyromania.
And then once they grow up they settle for a small fire close to their mouths.

TallBoy said :

Gerry-Built said :

I have no idea why all the kids wear their bags sooooooo low… but then with that coloured hoodie; good sense is in short supply… he’ll be the one carrying the fire-making gear, too…

Fire making gear? Do you mean like a lighter or matches? Or do you suppose he’s lugging some flint rocks, and dry rubbing sticks around with him in that backpack? Lol

Fun as your suggestion was, the report seems quite certain the fire was deliberately lit. So maybe something about the ignition point suggested it was more then just kids smoking or playing with matches, buy some sort of attempted camp fire or the like?

Although the ACT Policing doesn’t usually seem to put that much thought into their language – in this instance “deliberately lit” probably means anything but lightening strike.

Oops, it looks like I need more quoting practice…

Gerry-Built said :

Fire making gear? Do you mean like a lighter or matches? Or do you suppose he’s lugging some flint rocks, and dry rubbing sticks around with him in that backpack? Lol

I’m sure they are on it already – but the police need only forward these pics to the local High School and primary schools… these kids will be identified in, like, three seconds…

I have no idea why all the kids wear their bags sooooooo low… but then with that coloured hoodie; good sense is in short supply… he’ll be the one carrying the fire-making gear, too…

Yeah, my vote is on a bird watching camera.

Anyway, it must not be hard to identify these kids. You can almost guarantee they live locally in the surrounding streets.

Anti said :

Stupid comment number 1 above, valued input as always

I’m sorry, what?! That made no sense to me.

Cool photo though – what was it, an automatic bird-watching camera? Could be some artsy album cover or a magazine ad for a fashion house if it had a bit more detail.

Stupid comment number 1 above, valued input as always

Both wearing hoodies. Must say for people who are meant to be rebellious and outlaw, thugs certainly are conformist when it comes to clothing.

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