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Police Secretly Planting GPS Devices On Cars

bfwebster writes "The Washington Post has a long investigative article on how more and more police departments are secretly planting GPS tracking devices on the cars of people they are investigating — usually without a warrant. After-the-fact court challenges on this technique have largely upheld such use of a GPS device, though the Washington State Supreme Court has ruled that a warrant is required."

7 of 609 comments (clear)

  1. If you have nothing to hide by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    I don't see the problem.

  2. Re:Do the police... by Joe+Snipe · · Score: 5, Funny

    Let's try the best analogy: Do the police need a warrant to duct tape a midget to the underside of my car? If yes then I believe this should require a warrant. Else, what's the diff except it costs much less and is more discrete.

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    Sometimes, life itself is sarcasm...
  3. Re:Yes, but... by Penguinisto · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'd think you could take it off and toss it in a dumpster if you found it.

    Wouldn't it be more fun to attach it to a random taxicab instead? If you really want to screw with someone, you could always go to a gas station near a freeway, look for someone towing a boat and obviously on their way to some vacation hotspot, and then attach the device to the boat when its owner isn't looking...

    /P

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    Quo usque tandem abutere, Nimbus, patientia nostra?
  4. Re:Do the police... by roman_mir · · Score: 5, Funny

    It depends, is it an African midget or a European midget?

  5. Re:Do the police... by darthdavid · · Score: 4, Funny

    Are you suggesting that midgets migrate?

  6. Re:Do the police... by icebike · · Score: 5, Funny

    If you really think about this statement, I think you'll find it to be demonstrably false.

    No he was spot on.

    It is the speed variance that kills.

    The ditch on that corner he failed to negotiate was only going zero miles per hour. The total variance was probably in excess of 70mph.

    Same for that 2mph pedestrian he killed last week.

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    Sig Battery depleted. Reverting to safe mode.
  7. Re:Do the police... by 1729 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Do the police require warrants to bug my house? YES! The difference between my house and my car is very little so yes they need warrants too.

    Yes, but do the police need a warrant to put a GPS tracker on your house?