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PCs Pilfered, Paralyzing Populace

Posted by michael on from the doh! dept.

Heywood Yabuzof writes "According to this Wired story, thieves in Chile caused traffic to grind to a halt when they decided to steal the computers (15 PCs and 2 servers) that control the traffic lights in Santiago. Funny how everyone worries so much about preventing "evil hackers" from breaking in to systems remotely and causing chaos, and then some burglars just go ahead and steal the critical computers to produce the same (unintended?) results."

10 of 162 comments (clear)

  1. It's a good thing... by Sivar · · Score: 4, Funny

    It's a good thing they had the servers all in one place, else they may have inconvenience the thieves.

    --
    Computer Science is no more about computers than astronomy is about telescopes. --E. W. Dijkstra
  2. You've gotta love... by goneaway · · Score: 3, Funny

    that they just hung out for a while and had some snacks. A LAN party before the heist perhaps?

    --
    your = it belongs to you. you're = a contraction of you and are. Got it now?
    1. Re:You've gotta love... by gnovos · · Score: 5, Funny

      "Ned, where did all the servers go!?!?"

      "Don't worry, boss, they were all transfered over to the IBM e-server!"

      "Oooooh, excellent! Ah, where exactly IS the e-server?"

      "Oh, that got stolen."

      --
      "Your superior intellect is no match for our puny weapons!"
  3. Hahah by autopr0n · · Score: 5, Funny

    Not only did they steal the computers, they stole the alarm system that was supposed to protect them.

    The worlds most sarcastic criminals, is what we've got here :P

    --
    autopr0n is like, down and stuff.
  4. rofl by rtscts · · Score: 3, Funny
    Summary: inside job.

    It's funny shit though:
    But while stealing the goods, valued at US$90,000, they took their time. According to police reports, these peculiar robbers smoked some cigarettes, ate a snack, and drank a few cups of joe, taking it easy before leaving the scene of the crime

    And my favourite:
    After they loaded the computers into a van, the alarm was also taken

    ROFL. 10/10 for style. Someone buy these clowns a beer (before they earn themselves a darwin award).

  5. 3 AM is too late for alliteration by Roosey · · Score: 3, Funny

    Pernicious people plundered PCs providing parkway profluence producing paralyzing predicaments?

    Preposterous! :]

  6. The worst... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    I'm sure this caused some of the worst crashes in the history of computing

  7. h4ck th3 pl4n37!!! by IntelliTubbie · · Score: 4, Funny

    Update: although the traffic jam caused a significant delay for police, the thieves were later arrested at Grand Central Station after hacking into a Gibson mainframe from a bank of public telephones. The perpetrators, identified as Angelina "Acid Burn" Jolie and Jonny Lee "Crash Override" Miller, were later released and have since gone on to make better movies. Sandra Bullock was unavailable for comment.

    Cheers,
    IT

    --

    Power corrupts. PowerPoint corrupts absolutely.

  8. It would have been funny if... by l810c · · Score: 3, Funny

    they were caught in the ensuing traffic jam.

  9. Keep an eye out... by quintessent · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...for PCs on eBay that come pre-loaded with traffic controlling software.

    --
    Donate background CPU time to fight cancer.