Deputies intercept text message to capture suspect

I didn't really find the following article all that interesting, but it did raise certain questions for me. Is it acceptable for the police to confiscate someone else's cell phone, pose as the cell phone owner, and respond to text messages? I don't know...is there privacy issues here? Read on and voice your opinions in the form of comments, eh?--Peter St. George

TERRELL, N.C. -After catching one of two people wanted in a series of break-ins, deputies in North Carolina let their fingers do the chasing to catch a second suspect.

Catawba County sheriff's Maj. Coy Reid says that when deputies caught a 16-year-old suspect on Wednesday, they confiscated his cell phone. Soon, a text message arrived asking the teen if he had been caught.

The deputies typed "no" in response. After a few more messages, the sender said he would try to pick up his friend, not knowing he was in custody.

Deputies waited in an area where several break-ins had occurred. They say they arrested the 17-year-old texter after finding him in a car with three other people.

Both teens face several charges, including larceny and breaking and entering.

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Information from: The Hickory Daily Record, http://www.hickoryrecord.com