A Burlington man who goaded the Burlington police into a game of hide and seek via Facebook soon found himself found by law enforcement and in custody for suspicion of violating court ordered terms of release, the police announced Wednesday.
“Having a warrant is pretty much like playing adult hide and seek,” Chris Mitchell, 23, wrote on Facebook hours before his eventual arrest on Tuesday.
Burlington police officers noticed the message on Mitchell’s Facebook account and “took exception” to the wording, according to Burlington police Deputy Chief Jon Murad.
Murad said law enforcement officers had reason to believe Mitchell was violating conditions of release ordered by a judge in August — specifically his curfew and staying at a residence he was not authorized to be at — and decided to take action.
Later on Tuesday night Burlington police arrested Mitchell at the North Star motel in Shelburne, for violating the terms of release set in an Aug. 7 case.
The charges in that case included first-degree aggravated domestic assault with a weapon, domestic assault, unlawful mischief and unlawful trespass, according Murad.
After Mitchell was taken into custody, the Burlington police responded to his taunt via Twitter, announcing adult hide and seek was done.
“Game over,” Burlington police said.
Chris Mitchell has been apprehended. Game over. pic.twitter.com/dCcW897vRX
— Burlington Police (@OneNorthAvenue) December 12, 2018
Murad said it’s not uncommon to have people post photos and messages about their crimes on social media and that law enforcement do take notice of these posts and act accordingly.
“You have offenders who boast of the crimes they have committed or the lifestyle associated with crimes,” Murad said, “If an officer sees that, especially associated with someone who is leading a criminal lifestyle and known to have a criminal past, then, yes, that is going to make them take extra notice.”
Mitchell is being held in jail with $100,000 bail.
Read the story on VTDigger here: Facebook taunter loses game of ‘hide and seek’ to Burlington police.