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Awesome: Musician Recovers iPhone From Thief Using a Computer, $20 and a Hammer

Punk trombonist Nadav Nirenberg yesterday tells how he used a hammer to nail an iPhone thief by posing as a girl. Got it? (New York Post/Gabriella Bass)
We all know the age-old saying, “crime doesn’t pay.” Well, sometimes it can also be humiliating, one thief learned after his victim turned the tables with an elaborate ruse.
While out on the town on New Year’s Eve, 27-year-old musician Nadav Nirenberg lost his iPhone in the back of a cab. He called his phone several times, and when he got no answer, left messages promising a reward if the phone was returned to him.
Unfortunately, his messages went unreturned and he realized he may never see his iPhone again.
Then, just as he had lost all hope, Nirenberg noticed the phone thief had logged into his online dating profile on OKCupid and was trying to meet women. “Not only is he stealing my phone, he’s creepy and disturbing,” he wrote in a blog post.
But that gave Nirenberg an idea. He created a fake email and “half-believable” OKCupid account as “Jennifer Gonzalez.” Jennifer was 24 and had just moved to Brooklyn. She was also, conveniently for the thief, looking for a man to take her out.
“I sent a message to the thief (my account) and chatted him up as Jennifer…weird,” Nirenberg recalled on his blog. “I used lots of winks and smiley faces so I would seem like a girl,” he later told the New York Post.
After a few hours of online chatting and heavy flirting, “Jennifer” suggested that they meet for a glass of wine at her apartment. And the thief showed up, “all dressed up, had a bottle of wine and stank of cologne.”
But the thieving Casanova’s romantic date was ruined when Nirenberg appeared behind him — holding a large hammer. He tapped the man on the shoulder and asked for his phone back. As a good faith gesture, he actually gave the guy $20 for his phone.
“He was ready for a date,” Niremberg told the New York Post. He described the man as a “small Indian dude.”
In what is perhaps the best part of this story, before the embarrassed man could get away, Niremberg jokingly told him, “You smell great, though.”
The Huffington Post provides a screenshot of Niremberg’s soon-to-be deleted OKCupid profile:
Bonus: TheBlaze accidentally stumbled onto one of Nirenberg’s trombone solos on YouTube — and he’s really, really good. Enjoy.
(H/T: HuffPo)
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Comments (109)
GCT
Posted on January 5, 2013 at 9:43pmThis whole story sounds more like a publicity stunt than an actual “I lost my phone and someone decided to use it rather than return it” story.
He “left messages promising a reward if the phone was returned to him” and then paid $20 to the person he took the phone back from. No followup questions? I guess Sean Hannity is right. Journalism is dead.
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oxycontinxx
Posted on January 5, 2013 at 9:27pmi wonder if this guy was licensed to carry and conceal a hammer.
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busterpuddles
Posted on January 5, 2013 at 5:07pmHowerton, I began to question your praise of nirenberg’s trombone skills, but then I reaized there is a bigger problem here. The article about the loss and reccovery of his phone is good. I’m sure most, if not all of us that have been wronged in such a way took pleasure in reading the story. Leave the opinion concerning his musical ability out of it, especially it’s embelished as much as it is in this piece.
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busterpuddles
Posted on January 5, 2013 at 4:55pmAdd your comments
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A. NonyMoose
Posted on January 5, 2013 at 2:22pmThe trombone solo was the best part of the story. That was good work!
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SovereignSoul
Posted on January 5, 2013 at 1:24pmThere are three things Idon’t understand about this article, and I may be showing my advanced age in asking:
1. What is a punk trombonist?
2. Who is Castanova?
3. Why is this ‘Awesome’? Shouldn’t the headline say ‘SHOCKING’?
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Big Media Bias
Posted on January 5, 2013 at 11:34am100% FAKE and FABRICATED STORY!!!
How many hoax stories will The Blaze publish?
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Zeb
Posted on January 5, 2013 at 11:20amI object, there should be absolutely no infringement of the tools of creative Phrenology.
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perry1980
Posted on January 5, 2013 at 10:40amshould have smashed his thumbs with the hammer for good measure
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jungle J
Posted on January 5, 2013 at 10:28amhe should have jacked the guy and took his stuff and then threw him down a flight of steps.
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Anadara
Posted on January 5, 2013 at 10:25am“You smell great, though.” …Sorry. Indian food gives gas – and causes earthquakes.
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FlagWavingPatriot
Posted on January 5, 2013 at 10:24amSo a thief steals his phone, uses his online account(s) and GETS PAID for doing it without any other consequences? Pfft. That’ll teach him…to do it again!
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ResistSocialism
Posted on January 5, 2013 at 10:19amThief will sue him and probably win
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tomagolledge
Posted on January 5, 2013 at 10:07am“…who plays trombone in the punk band…” LOL sorry but that’s just amazing to read. Park Slope – maybe not so amazing after all. Dee Dee, Joey and Johnny must be shaking their heads. I love how the genius lures the guy back to his own door. http://www.cnn.com.qr.net/j4mu
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NOT A CRAZY
Posted on January 5, 2013 at 9:39am“As a good faith gesture, he actually gave the guy $20 for his phone.”
20 bucks????? I would have given the SOB 20 lumps.
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Zeb
Posted on January 5, 2013 at 11:23amCreative Phrenology
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dave88
Posted on January 5, 2013 at 9:39amGet over it dude. Just use this opportunity to come into the modern world and get an android.
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Smokepole
Posted on January 5, 2013 at 9:26amHe Ned to stick to being a private eye. His trombone talent SUCKS! Yuck…..
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woodyee
Posted on January 5, 2013 at 9:36amPost a link (youtube?) to what YOU think is a good example of trombone playing.
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Smokepole
Posted on January 5, 2013 at 12:19pmhttp://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cD9x7TjXzX4
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Smokepole
Posted on January 5, 2013 at 2:41pmhttp://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1ETf7kRQ3A&feature=related#/watch?v=Q1ETf7kRQ3A&feature=related
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Smokepole
Posted on January 5, 2013 at 2:45pmhttp://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MKAd2sogy9w&feature=related#/watch?v=MKAd2sogy9w&feature=related
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Smokepole
Posted on January 5, 2013 at 2:49pmhttp://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dMnHzQ2cMrs#/watch?v=dMnHzQ2cMrs
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Frederick_Douglass_Republican
Posted on January 5, 2013 at 9:17amHe was too kind. A friend of mine from India told me that if this “Indian guy” was in India he would have been lured in and got his head busted with the hammer, then thrown out the window rather than handed $20.
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Kerstile
Posted on January 5, 2013 at 9:12amnocommie Posted on January 5, 2013 at 7:42am: Man, this kid is good.Great job.Love the band.
That needed re-posting. Awesome band. (I used to play the slide a looong time ago.)
What he did to retrieve his stolen property was foolish, though. If the thief refused to return the property and he had used the hammer, guess who would now be a felon and looking at prison time. I’m not saying that would be right, but it is what it is.
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M4-A1
Posted on January 5, 2013 at 8:45amJob well done son, but instead of giving him a $20 you should have just kicked him in the a$$ and sent him on his way……
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woodyee
Posted on January 5, 2013 at 8:19amDid you like that trombone?
Watch Everett Harp (with Marcus Miller) play his sax here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHf7DvVpeiU
I’m glad the young man got his phone back, but that was a ballsy move inviting him to his own home, and then using an assault hammer to confront him. What if the Indian had been armed with a flute and cobra in a basket?
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Anadara
Posted on January 5, 2013 at 10:26amLOL.. That’s a hoot.
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AZgirl9000
Posted on January 5, 2013 at 8:08amThis proves the need for an interactive map of people who own hammers.
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Joyzee
Posted on January 5, 2013 at 8:06amSmarter than an Indian..!!..Nice
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nocommie
Posted on January 5, 2013 at 7:42amMan, this kid is good.Great job.Love the band.
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Mapache
Posted on January 5, 2013 at 7:41amnot a smart move to invite to apartment. Now the no-goodnick knows where he is located. Of course he was lucky. You should not bring a hammer to what could be a gunfight. He should have had some friends in the apartment with him.
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Frederick_Douglass_Republican
Posted on January 5, 2013 at 9:24amMaybe this guy knows what can be done with a hammer in close quarters. You have a gun and a guy is right on top of you with a hammer you better have said your prayers last Sunday.
He may have carefully sized this guy up as a loser dweeb in his correspondence on the dating site. And watched him come in the building to decide whether to not answer the door and call the cops or let him in.
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