Search Warrants Served on Suspected Hackers

Tulsa police break up a computer hacking ring in Green Country Monday. Tulsa and Osage County officers served search warrants at a residence north of Sand Springs. Officers believe a 15-year-old boy

Monday, February 14th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Tulsa police break up a computer hacking ring in Green Country Monday. Tulsa and Osage County officers served search warrants at a residence north of Sand Springs. Officers believe a 15-year-old boy used his computer to steal credit card numbers, then ordered expensive computer equipment using those accounts. They say he and a friend also shut down the KOTV website and the Braum's Ice Cream Stores website on December 29, 1999. "They were kicked out of the chat rooms for making inappropriate comments and that's when the hacking began," said cyber crimes unit spokesman sergeant Tim Stadler.

A new state law makes it a misdemeanor to simply visit an unauthorized computer site. It's a felony to change or destroy anything on a website. Officers confiscated computers, hard drives and keyboards at the house. "If I find anything hacker related on this computer, you'll have to convince a judge to get it back," Stadler told the people living there.

The law enforcement officials then drove to the friendâ€™s residence in south Tulsa. When officers went upstairs after serving the search warrant, they found two teenage boys at work on the computer. Police believe the boys were in the middle of trying to hack into the system of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Stadler told the teens, "Hey guys, come away from the computer. We've got a search warrant for hacking and computer fraud."

Stadler says by getting subpoenas for internet service providers and tracing those phone lines back to an internet provider address, police can find the hackers. "They think it's a joke,â€ he said. â€œThey don't realize that the companies are hurt when they're down. They interrupt business right where they make their money."

The cyber unit did not make any arrests Monday. Arrests, however, may come after the team analyzes all the information on the confiscated equipment. The Tulsa Police department started the cyber crimes unit last month. They advise parents to keep a close eye on your children's computer habits.