• On TechRepublic: FREE download: Social networking policy
July 14, 2009 5:10 PM PDT

Woman twitters her way through a bank heist

by Chris Matyszczyk
  • Font size
  • Print
  • 10 comments

What would you do if a bank you were standing in were to be held up?

Would your loins twitch a little? Would your palms pour water like a fountain at the Bellagio?

Or would you whip out your BlackBerry and twitter?

I only ask because Tuesday, according to the Associated Press, Annemarie Dooling was in an HSBC bank in Manhattan when someone decided to hold it up.

Perhaps it was something to do with the fact that on her Twitter feed she describes herself as "Jet setting, Manhattan drinking, design obsessed sicko; producer for a talk show website", Dooling thought she'd make use of her BlackBerry, with which she happened to be fiddling at the time.

In one tweet, Dooling said everyone in the bank was discussing this movie.

(Credit: CC Loufi/Flickr)

Yes, she thought it might be fun to twitter the whole experience.

"My bank was just held up _ with me in it. HSBC 34 and 8," she offered to her then 1,900 followers.

She added: "Also my whole trackball is GONE!!! I'm locked in the bank still."

Strangely, some people thought she should have been doing something a little more civic-minded. But in a subsequent e-mail to the AP, she explained: "Honestly, the cops were called and everyone was safe and my main concern was reaching out to my friends, fam, and co-workers, which is why I tweeted."

And her tweets continued to be informative. For example: "no i didnt hit the floor. i didnt even notice and he was two people in front of me."

They even became amusing: "cops just said 'wouldnt it be boring if they all did it the same way?' ha. just let me out, Paul Blart."

This was New York, however, so it wasn't long before the critics began tweeting daggers: "someone on Gothamist just told me to fall down a man hole. geez, get a life, buddy."

Which might just have been a witless reference to the teen girl from Staten Island who texted her way into a manhole.

Though not all of Dooling's tweets were well-received, I feel desolate in telling you that the robber got away.

Chris Matyszczyk is an award-winning creative director who advises major corporations on content creation and marketing. He brings an irreverent, sarcastic, and sometimes ironic voice to the tech world. He is a member of the CNET Blog Network and is not an employee of CNET.
Recent posts from Technically Incorrect
Black Friday at Best Buy: What's the big deal?
AT&T gets Luke Wilson to hit Verizon again
NBA star won't tweet until he has 1 million followers
Man marries video game character
IKEA's brilliant Facebook campaign
IBM staffer posts pics on Facebook, loses benefits
New Apple ads to Verizon: Can Droid do this?
Police arrest exec for not using Twitter
Add a Comment (Log in or register) (10 Comments)
  • prev
  • 1
  • next
by RupertAvery July 14, 2009 5:31 PM PDT
I hear blackberry trackballs are always falling apart...
Reply to this comment
by July 14, 2009 5:51 PM PDT
Lol! Omg, Twitter is sweet!
Reply to this comment
by egockel70 July 14, 2009 6:19 PM PDT
"would your loins twitch?" Technically incorrect is right, perhaps Penthouse Letters is a more apt title for this column?
Reply to this comment
by ca5ter July 14, 2009 6:30 PM PDT
Does CNET have a large ownership in Twitter. It seems to be all Twit all the time.

You know, there are many other facets of technology you could cover...
Reply to this comment
by July 14, 2009 6:51 PM PDT
Ur dum! Twitter rulez! Facebook is sweet too!
by saintseminole July 14, 2009 6:49 PM PDT
Yes, it's common knowledge that people use Twitter, even when they shouldn't be. ("Common knowledge" = "not news")

Also, since I've never used (or even seen) a Blackberry, I want to know -- how can you use Twitter if you can't use email?
Reply to this comment
by July 19, 2009 4:17 PM PDT
you could get on your browser and go to the site, or you could text message your "tweet"
by Jack K1 July 14, 2009 7:15 PM PDT
OK, how many of you have twittered during sex? Be honest. Cybersex doesn't count.
Reply to this comment
by cvaldes1831 July 15, 2009 8:36 AM PDT
Does twitpic-ing count?
by July 23, 2009 2:58 PM PDT
You know...I can still call out if my trackball isn't working. I wouldn't be able to use e-mail, IM, internet, FaceBook or any other app like that. It makes me wonder...how can she Twitter and not make a phone call?
Reply to this comment
(10 Comments)
  • prev
  • 1
  • next

The browser battles go on and on

roundup From Firefox to IE and from Chrome to Opera and Safari, there's no sitting still for browser makers looking to keep their products fresh and competitive.

3G wireless still holds promise

The next generation of 4G wireless may get all the headlines, but advanced 3G technology will likely dominate services for the next few years.

advertisement

About Technically Incorrect

Chris Matyszczyk brings a fresh and irreverent perspective to the tech world in his CNET blog, Technically Incorrect. He is a member of the CNET Blog Network and is not an employee of CNET.

Add this feed to your online news reader

Technically Incorrect topics

advertisement
advertisement

Inside CNET News

Scroll Left Scroll Right