Tulsa Police: Social Media Gives Suspects New Way To Incriminate Themselves

<p>Going live used to just be a thing in the TV business, but now anyone can go live through social media apps on their smartphones.</p>

Tuesday, November 1st 2016, 1:28 pm

By: News On 6

Tulsa Police: Social Media Gives Suspects New Way To Incriminate Themselves

A 25-year-old Collinsville man is in jail after police say he stole an officer's patrol car and sped off with law enforcement in pursuit, all the while streaming live on Facebook.

Going live used to just be a thing in the TV business, but now anyone can go live through social media apps on their smartphones.

In just the past week, we’ve seen two suspects do it – police say it’s the newest trend of lawbreakers trying to get attention.

When you think of criminals you think of people who try to slip under the radar - wearing masks and hiding their identity; but recently we've seen the exact opposite, with suspects sharing their crimes on social media for the world to see.

Monday night, a wild ride in a Tulsa Police Department squad car streamed live on Facebook.

Suspect John Pinney said, "Okay, if you don't believe me right now, look, check it out, from Tulsa to Owasso right now. I'm in the cop car, where's my sirens at? You hear my sirens? Look, check it out."

Monday night, police say Pinney jumped into a running cop car and took officers on a chase all across Green Country.

Pinney streamed the whole thing on his Facebook page. In the video, he talks about the kind of music he likes, friends and even asks for people to contact him in jail.

"It'd be cool if I got some mail, that'd be cool, I ain't trippin’ about it if so, it's whatever," he said.

Pinney faces at least nine complaints including theft of a vehicle, eluding, possession of a firearm and resisting arrest.

Before that, a little more than a week ago, Michael Vance, a wanted killer, narrated his get-away in a chilling live video.

It's a bizarre trend - sharing crimes as they're happening by the people committing them.

Officer Jeannie McKenzie with TPD said, "You know, I feel like it's a notoriety thing. They want to be in the news, they want attention, they want people to know what they've done."

But the incidents are not just a recent thing; criminals have been known to brag about their crimes on social media in the past.

Last March, a group was arrested in Osage County after a picture of a man holding a large amount of weed surfaced on social media.

Police say while it seems bizarre, it makes their job easier.

McKenzie said, "He has just given us every bit of evidence that we need to convict him of that crime."