FREELAND -- A man wanted for months by a police department in Luzerne County fell for a stunt on Facebook and was caught by police.
All it took was one Facebook post by Freeland Police to lock up Anthony Lescowitch, 35, of Drifton.
Patrolman T.J. Rentschler posted Lescowitch's mug shot on the Freeland Police Department's Facebook page.
“The fellow officer I'm working with taps me on the shoulder and says ‘look who liked our status,’” Patrolman Rentschler said.
Lescowitch, himself, liked it and then re-posted his own mug shot on his own Facebook page.
He's been wanted since November for a slew of charges related to a fight near a bar over the summer.
Rentschler then used Facebook to message the wanted man pretending to be an attractive woman who wanted to meet up.
Police ultimately met up with Lescowitch at a gas station and handcuffed him. They say he had no idea what hit him.
"Priceless. Shocked, like he'd seen a ghost."
Word about the arrest was all the buzz in Freeland since it was shared over and over again, of course, on Facebook.
“I just found it hilarious that somebody would just post their own wanted picture on Facebook,” said Robert McNeill of Freeland.
“They need to become more aware of their actions, what they're posting, what they're doing.”
More and more area police departments are using Facebook to receive and publicize information.
“It's helped us, I'd say 150%. A lot of people are messaging our page, giving us information, tips,” Patrolman Rentschler said.
Helene Baur of Freeland says you just need to be smart about what you're posting online.
“All it takes is a quick Google search or a quick Facebook name and people share things and like things. It appears all over the place. You never know who's going to see it.”
Because those viewers could even be the police.