Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/2011/01/18/prison_computer_mice_stolen/

Prisoners cannibalise mice for mobile power

USB cables hacked to charge phones

By Caleb Cox

Posted in Personal Tech, 18th January 2011 06:00 GMT

Convicts at a hi-tech Scottish prison are swiping computer mice from IT classes.

It turns out the mice's USB cable can be used to charge up lags' covert mobile phones. Rip the cord out of the mouse, plug it into a PlayStation and, with a bit of re-wiring, you have a power source for your handset.

PlayStations? It seems the jailbirds spending time at Her Majesty's pleasure in Addiewell, West Lothian have games consoles and HD TVs to play with, and, according to Scottish newspaper the Daily Record, are able to order their meals by computer.

While searching for the missing mice, warders at the prison found a large number of unconnected cables dangling from the PS3s, the paper reports.

The game was up, and now no one is allowed to leave computer, maths or English classes until every mouse has been accounted for.

Inmates are not allowed mobile phones. So naughty relatives will now have to smuggle in the cables too - presumably the same way the phones arrived. ®