you can't even enjoy your stolen videogames without big brother breathing down your neck.. is nothing sacred anymore?

wow the comments on the post put hotstepper, snoopy, and billiamsburg to shame: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/bronx/xbox_thief_is_xbusted_aCZZCVX9AERyYYstD4m5oN#comments_block

To quote a certain swordsman, "I do not think that means what you think it means."

To put something to shame means to be far better than it is. You may be thinking more along the lines of "The comments on the Post make ... look like Mother Teresa."

erm, they're better at being racist, thereby putting them to shame.

nice try. even snoopy got it.

I'd put it this way: never believe what you think.

See I told you that I am basically a very nice person after you get to meet me.

did you say that? i usually don't follow up. i'm sure you are.

Read between the lines here, people. You are being watched through your Internet access. Every thing that you type into a search engine is being stored somewhere, with enough other information to track it down to your front door. Cops, corporations, the government and even your enemies have the potential to find this information and use it against you.

Let that be a lesson to the trolls and lunatics who think they are anonymous and untraceable on Gothamist and other message boards, forums, etc. Even Gothamist logs commenters' IP addresses and if they're served with a subpoena, you can't hide from the cops.

damn straight.

troll via snail mail.

Watch your mailbox for my reply.

can't wait, I expect it on linen paper and written with a quill and ink well.

Thank god I also am not involved in any illegal activity.

no shit dumbass. get off the internet if you're so worried.

thank god I have no enemies

I'll bet the person who got their xbox back is happy about all that tracking.

Is there a way to change the IP address or is hard locked?

It can be changed every time you power cycle or reset the cable modem, among other means. But that wouldn't help you. ISPs keep track of which IP addresses were assigned to which cable modem at what time in the past. The only way to foil it would be to get a wireless gaming adapter and keep hopping from hotspot to hotspot. A little tough to play games from a different location every hour or so, though. Xboxes and LCD screens aren't very portable. His best bet would have been to wipe the Xbox and get a new gaming account.

"It can be changed every time you power cycle or reset the cable modem, among other means."

May be, or may not be, depending on the provider. But as you say it doesn't really matter as far as being able to hide yourself because every provider logs what address has been assigned to each subscriber at any time.

That would be the IP address of his Internet connection, assigned by his Internet service provider, not of the xbox itself. It would have local network IP address which could be changed but is not relevant outside that network (which essential means all connected devices within his home).