Stolen Enigma Machine Held For Ransom

AaronLane writes: "The BBC has a story on the robbery, and ransom of one of the only three German Enigma encryption machines from World War Two. The people holding the machine say they bought it unknowingly, and want to be compensated before giving it back, or they will destroy it. The Bletchley Park musuem, from which the machine was stolen, is offering 25,000 pounds." [timothy butts in --] Here's a link to the slashdot story posted when the machine was stolen.

Re:US should pay Germans?

Nothing is ever so clear-cut.

The intelligence was provided by the Polish (who were breaking some German Army Enigma before the war, and got some of this info, including an Army Enigma, to the British) the French (why had a German spy giving them Enigma codebooks) and the British and Canadians (who captured enigma wheels and codebooks on *several* raids on sinking U-boats and German weather ships). The British (Alan Turing) were the ones who were working on the codebreaking efforts during the critical years of the war.

It wasn't the Enigma machine itself that was so valuable (they knew how it worked before the war) but instead the wheels (especially when a wheel was added) and also the codebooks that contained the wheel and plugboard settings.

The Americans provided additional bombes (mechanical computers used to brute-force Enigma settings) to the effort later in the war. The Americans were also busy breaking the Japanese Naval cypher as well (entirely different).

Everyone contributed - there is lots of national pride to go around. :)

Re:Only three??

Exactly. Heck, there's 5 or 6 of them at the NSA's crypto museum. I even got to play with one of them. All of then at the crypto museum are in amazing condition, to boot.

Rich...

Something fishy about this...

This machine was stolen. A widely publicized fact due to the massive attention the media placed on it. What doesn't make sense to me is this: If you are purchasing an Enigma machine (and this is mysteriously available right after one is stolen from Bletchley) you are not the 'average antique collector' in the first place and should have more wits about you than to make this type of 'mistake'. This type of collector is much smarter than the average bear and I am not buying into thier story, they would know the difference between the various models of the Enigma (2, 3 and 4 wheel). The fact that they are threatening to destroy this tangible piece of history also points to this party not being a real collector either. A real collector would not threaten to do this as true collectors view it as a privelge to be in posession of a part of history for the time that they have it. I think that this party is more than likely the ones who stole the machine. The ransom notes are (imho) obviously from the people who stole the damn thing. They couldn't find someone to purchase thier prize and in an act of desparation are trying to quadruple the reward for returning the machine to its rightful owners via extortion.
Note to self: IF s/N ratio>=facts(old news + /. $authors)

stolen property has laws governing its return

I'm not up on my English law, but in the Colonies across the Atlantic, when you purchase stolen property, irregardless of whether or not you knew it was stolen, you are required to return it and eat what you paid for the property as a loss.

No compensation, no ransom, just pure honesty.
Only deal with honest people, and you don't get hurt. Always be honest, and you increase the chances of other people always dealing with honest folks.

It's like encryption. Only take emails from trusted sources. Encourage your friends and family to go the same. Eventually, everyone uses encryption and you can grow the keys on your chain.

A host is a host from coast to coast, but no one uses a host that's close

Re:The fools!

Except that the DMCA is a US law and the Bletchley Park Museum is in the UK. Can't quite force our way on the Brits, now, can we?

Which is located in Woolsley Itch Underhamptstead Oldbury Cottenginton Westbloodyhammersmith.


--
Chief Frog Inspector

That's easy

To whom should we make the check payable. Thank you. Hello, Scotland Yard? I need a job on . . . that's right, no prisoners. Jolly good. Bye now.

~~~

The fools!

The fools! Instead of stealing the Enigma machine, they could instead sue Bletchley Park for bypassing the Enigma machine's access protection device! By suing under the DMCA, they could bankrupt Bletchley Park and seize all their assets, including the Enigma machine!

Silly robbers. Don't they understand the way to commit crimes these days is to use the law?

i can imagine the ransom note...

CYGQ RTTY FAPRRG QYIDH GBNV XCM SKAF LPQFRPLS!! or the machine gets it...

---

A few links if you want to know more about Enigma

A good page on the history [umbc.edu] of breaking the Enigma code.

A short description [trincoll.edu] of how the machine worked.

An Enigma simulation [demon.co.uk] and some good links.

Some cool stuff!

----
Josh

This would make a good Counter-Strike map.

Let's call it cs_enigma. No hostages, but the counter-terrorists have to storm into the blokes' apartment and recover the machine. The enigma itself will probably be an add-on (item_enigma), so when a CT picks it up, he has to evacuate the premises and run for the main street! "Counter-Terrorists Win!"

I Don't Think So...

The people holding the machine say they bought it unknowingly

Oh, sure -- why, just the other day I was at a yard sale and saw an Enigma machine, one of the propellers from the plane Admiral Yamamoto was shot down in, and the original V2 plans signed by Wehrer von Braun.
/.

Re:Only three??

I think you may have seen the naval, two-wheel Enigma, which are not exactly common, but not very rare. This one is a U-Boat Enigma, with an extra wheel. It's mainly important because of the historical significance of the actual object, however, not just its rarity.

Sell it on ebay!

Knowing how stupid ebay bidders can be about overbidding on stuff, they should put it up for auction! They could easily get 200,000 pounds for it!

Too bad there are only three of them or you could imagine a Beowu[CHOKE-GAGGGG]

NO CARRIER