Mexican Official Tries to Steal Blackberries

**Walking Dead** · 24 Apr 08,, 19:53

FOXNews.com - Secret Service Catch Mexican Official Nabbing White House BlackBerries - Politics | Republican Party | Democratic Party | Political Spectrum

FOX NEWS
Whether he was up to no good or simply desperate to play BrickBreaker, a Mexican press attaché was caught on camera by Secret Service pocketing several White House BlackBerries during a recent meeting in New Orleans, FOX News has learned.

Sources with knowledge of the incident said the official, Rafael Quintero Curiel, served as the lead press advance person for the Mexican Delegation and was responsible for handling logistics and guiding the Mexican media around at the conference. He took six or seven of the handheld devices from a table outside a special room in the hotel where the Mexican delegation was meeting with President Bush earlier this week.

Everyone entering the room was required to leave his or her cell phone, BlackBerry and other such devices on the table, a common practice when high-level meetings are held. American officials discovered their missing belongings when they were leaving the session.

It didn't take long before Secret Service officials reviewed videotape taken by a surveillance camera and found footage showing Quintero Curiel absconding with the BlackBerries.

Sources said Quintero Curiel made it all the way to the airport before Secret Service officers caught up with him. He initially denied taking the devices, but after agents showed him the DVD, Quintero Curiel said it was purely accidental, gave them back, claimed diplomatic immunity and left New Orleans with the Mexican delegation.

It is unclear what disciplinary measures, if any, await him in Mexico. White House spokeswoman Dana Perino refused to discuss the incident, telling FOX News, "We are aware of the situation, but as it's under investigation by law enforcement officials, we will decline to comment."

Purely accidental!?

WTF!

**~~gamercube~~** · 24 Apr 08,, 19:58

I thought he was actually caught stealing the fruit.

**Walking Dead** · 24 Apr 08,, 20:27

Sorry, I should have been more specific.

**~~gamercube~~** · 24 Apr 08,, 20:56

Lol, no need to be sorry......guess it was just instinctive for me to associate Mexicans with gardens and fruit trees for some reason..

**Fiona Shrot** · 24 Apr 08,, 21:01

Originally Posted by gamercube

I thought he was actually caught stealing the fruit.

me too...

**Debbie** · 24 Apr 08,, 22:02

I thought they caught him out in some fruti orchard as well, but then figured.....gee that guy must really like fruit. So now we all know it was electronic fruit so to speak.

**Walking Dead** · 24 Apr 08,, 22:35

Originally Posted by gamercube

Lol, no need to be sorry......guess it was just instinctive for me to associate Mexicans with gardens and fruit trees for some reason..

Ouch!

Originally Posted by Debbie

I thought they caught him out in some fruti orchard as well, but then figured.....gee that guy must really like fruit. So now we all know it was electronic fruit so to speak.

Talk about an unintended social experiment here. Mexicans=Fruits.

**Southie** · 24 Apr 08,, 22:40

Originally Posted by gamercube

I thought he was actually caught stealing the fruit.

I did as well. But then I figured he would be caught red-handed...or should I say "black-handed" from the blackberry juice stain!

**Ironduke** · 24 Apr 08,, 23:51

I wonder if he stole them out of greed or because there might be information on them. You know, a meeting of high level officials... maybe something that could make the press or information that's classified.

**Walking Dead** · 25 Apr 08,, 17:19

Originally Posted by Ironduke

I wonder if he stole them out of greed or because there might be information on them. You know, a meeting of high level officials... maybe something that could make the press or information that's classified.

I think that's spot on - I have a Blackberry and it has all my contacts and my meetings, and even lots of attachments. This person could easily have see who an important W.H. official has been meeting with for the past year, or within the next couple of weeks. Great intelligence for news reporters.

**jtl310** · 25 Apr 08,, 17:46

I think that's spot on - I have a Blackberry and it has all my contacts and my meetings, and even lots of attachments. This person could easily have see who an important W.H. official has been meeting with for the past year, or within the next couple of weeks. Great intelligence for news reporters.

Who in their right mind would grab more than a couple! Wouldnt it be so obvious? .. i mean if u grabbed yours n another persons i think be hard to capture on vid .. but a hand full? ...

But the other side of it is that alot of people have passwords on their black berries .... plus if it was information he was looking for, right after the meeting id try to get what information i needed and then jus dump them all ...

i still think he was trying to make big bucks on it.