Video at linkLA CROSSE — A La Crosse man recorded himself on a stolen video camera taunting police, who didn't have much trouble identifying him after he introduced himself. Now he's in the clink, and the video is on YouTube.
"This is my house, yes, and a stolen camera that I stole," he says. "But it's OK, the cops won't figure it out."
He continues: "Oh yeah, to introduce you, my name is Houaka Yang, so yeah. How do you do?"
Authorities said Yang, 20, left behind a trail of videos of himself on the camera he allegedly unlawfully removed late May 11 from an unlocked car outside the home of Republican state Senate candidate Bill Feehan.
Chris Rochester is Feehan's spokesman and the camera's owner. He got his camera back last week but didn't find the suspect's home movies until after he filmed Gov. Scott Walker's visit to La Crosse on Monday.
As Rochester looked for video he shot of the governor's appearance, he found 20 other segments the suspect apparently recorded.
Most were uneventful, until there was a 79-second segment of the suspect talking about stealing the camera and panning around a home, pointing out the kitchen and the bathroom.
Then, he turned the camera to reveal his face and said with a smile, "And this is me. Hi."
Yang was scheduled to make an initial appearance Wednesday on two charges of being party to the crime of misdemeanor theft and one misdemeanor count of carrying a concealed weapon. The charges carry a maximum penalty of two years and three months in jail and a $30,000 fine.
Rochester said he didn't think Feehan was targeted for political reasons. Police had investigated a number of thefts reported in the area.
Security videos at Feehan's home showed two suspects rifling through the car in his driveway. Investigators showed the footage to officials at a local high school, who identified one suspect, La Crosse police Sgt. Randy Rank said. The 14-year-old in turn identified Yang, he said.
The two admitted breaking into Feehan's car. They turned over an array of stolen items, including the video camera. Both now face theft charges. Yang also faces a bail jumping charge because he was out on bond for making off with items from cars.
Rochester said he almost disregarded the videos on his camera, thinking maybe he had accidentally hit the "record" button.
"Then it hit me pretty quickly as to what it was," he said. "I was astounded. I was like, 'Wow, I can't believe this.'"
Yang was already in custody, but Rochester decided to have fun with the video by sharing it with friends. So he uploaded it to YouTube under the title "Confessions of a stupid criminal: Thief is sure he won't get caught."
Rank said police weren't concerned that Rochester uploaded the video while Yang's case is still pending.
"It's his recorder, those are his images on there," Rank said. "I don't see an issue with it."