Criminal Caught Thanks to New Jersey Family's Lucky Picture
Family members posed for a snapshot just as thief grabbed their bag.
Aug. 25, 2010— -- In Madison, Wis., a family snapshot did a lot more than just capture a memory: It helped snare a thief.
John Myers was visiting the Wisconsin State Capitol building with his wife and two young children. The Bloomfield, N.J., family was all dressed up for a wedding, so its members decided to snap a group photo, setting up a camera and turning on the automatic timer.
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Once the family had finished posing, Myers turned around to collect his bag, but it was gone.
"My first thought was perhaps somebody had picked it up, though it was an unattended bag," Myers said. "You know, it's a state building, maybe they brought it inside."
Myers checked with the guards, but no luck. Then he had a thought. Maybe his digital camera could provide a clue.He flipped on the camera and looked at the picture it had just taken.
Talk about an indelible family photo, and not just because of Myers' dashing sky-blue suit or daughter Matilda's cute pink dress.
"Sure enough, I could see the guy bending over to pick up the bag," Myers said.
Right there in the background behind the smiling family, a man could be seen pawing John's cash, trinkets and iPad, all together worth more than a thousand dollars.
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