'I need to get a new mug shot': Crook caught after openly mocking police on Facebook

By RYAN GORMAN

A New Zealand man openly taunted police on Facebook for days until he was caught late Sunday evening.

Christchurch Police posted a mug shot of Sam Lake, 23, to their Facebook page asking for the public's help tracking him down. The brazen crook was wanted for breaching his home detention.

"Samuel Evan Lake has a warrant for his arrest," police said on the Facebook post. "LAKE is 23 years of age, 171cm tall and of thin build. 'Fate' is tattooed on his neck,"

Police also provided contact information next to Lake's mug shot.

"I need to get a new mug shot," Lake replied in a comment on the post. His crack was liked more than 3,000 times.

"Come see us and will arrange at no cost," cops fired back. The reply was liked nearly 6,000 times.

The public loved authorities response, but Lake was still having fun at their expense.

"If only they were as good at finding me as they were with comebacks," he quipped.

Lake then posted a version of the mug shot photoshopped to look like Ben Stiller's character from the movie "Zoolander."

"Cheers for the new DP [display picture] boys," he snarked.

Police caught up to Lake Sunday night around 9:00 p.m., according to One News.

A subsequent police post thanked those who helped bring him in.

Lake was wanted for violating the terms of a seven-month house arrest after police found his ankle bracelet severed and lying in the street, according to Stuff. He had also failed to appear last month for a mandatory course.

His house arrest came after being found guilty of burglary, theft and violating a previous home detention, according to the site.

The sharp-mouthed thief was re-sentenced, this time to six months in prison.

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