After the boxes were stolen from MS-storage depot in Germany, 7 of them were offered to SmartXX, who accepted 4. SmartXX immediately contacted Microsoft. Microsoft was in on those pictures leaked by SmartXX, meant to decrease the value of the boxes, and to create a market to lure the remaining consoles into the open.



This plan worked, and on Septermber 6, 14 more XeDKs were stolen. Unfortunately, the pursuit failed and no one was caught.






Despite SmartXX’s cooperation with Microsoft in this undercover sting, SmartXX still isn’t out of hot water with the police. A house searched of SmartXX’s “Franz” was performed Sunday. Police still have not returned a laptop and digital camera which were confiscated at a prior date.

Microsoft is denying it’s involvement with SmartXX to the public. Franz poses Microsoft the question of how they can deny it, when he could supply bank vouchers showing that Microsoft is paying for SmartXX’s lawyers in the case. It is understandable that Microsoft wouldn’t want to be linked to a modchip manufacture, whose #1 product cir*****vents the protection on Microsofts console. Such modchips make piracy possible–estimated to cost Microsoft 5% of its Xbox revenue.



According to SmartXX, the investigation has been headed by Prevent AG, a consulting company whose focus is to prevent white-collar crime and corruption. Future theft of Microsoft Xbox 360 dev kits will be prevented with embedded location-finding transmitters.



Many Xbox homebrew and modding enthusiasts were excited when they saw SmartXX obtained these XeDK boses back in August, with hopes it would mean an Xbox 360 modchip would become available quickly after the consoles launch this November. While this denies such hopes, it is great to see SmartXX work hand-in-hand with Microsoft to combat real crime, when you might expect Microsoft to be combatting SmartXX.