THE BUZZ: Crime doesn’t pay, folks—especially when you’re a police chief who can’t keep his hands off of Xbox 360s.

EGM’s TAKE: This is the story of Michael Baxton, the former East St. Louis police chief. The FBI has suspicions that Baxton was not only offering preferential treatment to some suspects, but also stealing and/or selling items from the police evidence locker.

So, the FBI decided to put him up to a little test. Agents from the FBI purchased five Xbox 360s, placed them in the trunk of a car, and then called the car in as being stolen. After a report of an abanonded vehicle (the car in question) came in, Baxton and another officer responded to the call.

When checking out the car, the two came across the five Xbox 360s. Baxton directed the officer to keep the game consoles from being reported, and to put four of them into Baxton’s car while keeping the fifth for himself. (Court records later state that Baxton ended up giving three of the Xbox 360s away, while he hooked up the last one in the basement of his home.)

Unfortunately for Baxton, the officer he had responded to the call with had previously reported Baxton’s misconduct, and was at that time working with the FBI to catch the police chief in the act. Which he did—via audio and video recording devices he had hidden on his person when the two went to check out the car.

Oh Microsoft—you and your wonderful console, whose siren song can tempt even the best of us! Your Xbox 360 provides such a robust and rewarding gaming experience, that even police chiefs will risk their jobs when given the chance to snatch you up!

I also wonder what former chief Baxton had been playing on that stolen Xbox 360 of his. I’d find it very ironic if it was Grand Theft Auto IV.

Source: Yahoo News