Criminals Lured By Stimulus Money

Police in Fort Lauderdale used the promise of economic stimulus checks to lure 76 people to their arrest on a variety of outstanding warrants, Reuters reported. The Fort Lauderdale Police Department set up “Operation Show Me the Money” to round up people wanted on charges ranging from second-degree murder, to weapon and drug charges, to failure to pay child support.

Using the name of the fictitious “South Florida Stimulus Coalition,” police mailed letters asking the suspects to call an undercover phone line and make appointments to claim their money. When they showed up at an auditorium and presented their identification, they were led to an area where uniformed police were waiting to arrest them.

Police said this was safer and more efficient than serving warrants at people’s homes.