I-Team: Costume-shop owner accused of cyberstalking
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Woman Accused Of Cyberstalking
A Providence business owner is accused of using a computer to harass a competitor.
NBC 10
Ann Bruno, accused of cyberstalking a competitor, wears a costume while mocking questions from the NBC 10 I-Team.
CRANSTON, R.I.—A Providence business owner is accused of using a computer to harass a competitor.
Cranston police arrested Ann Bruno on Monday. It’s the first time Cranston police have used the state’s cyberstalking law.
Police said they caught Bruno in the act of allegedly cyberstalking and harassing her competitor.
Tracy Sisson owns the Absolute Fun business in Cranston.
For the past year, she’s been getting dozens of harassing phone calls a day at her business and her home.
She said she suspected the calls were being made by a woman who is a competitor of hers and with whom she’s had some professional differences in the past.
Sisson said she received 50 to 60 calls a day from different people. Fed up with harassing phone calls, losing sleep and any peace of mind, Sisson called Cranston police a few months ago.
With Sisson’s help, investigators said they caught Bruno, 59, who owns Bruna Puppets and Costumes in Cranston, in the act of cyberstalking Sisson using a computer at the Cranston Public Library.
“She was basically engaging in signing Mrs. Sisson up for inquires and questions, debt-relief programs, which later on resulted in her receiving an abundance of telephone calls at her place of business,“ said Col. Stephen McGrath, chief of the Cranston police.
Bruno told the I-Team to meet her at her store on Pocassett Avenue in Providence to get her side of the story.
When the I-Team walked in, she put on a costume mask and mocked the I-Team’s questions. (Watch the entire unedited interview.)
Bruno apparently isn’t taking the crime seriously, but Sisson said she is glad Cranston police did.
“I’m still a little bit nervous because I feel that someone who would go to that extreme—go to a library three or four times a week to do something like this—and to go to so many sites and to torture me, the way that she did, because it is torture,“ Sisson said.
Despite the theatrics on the part of Bruno, the I-Team tried to get her side of the story.
A co-worker later called NBC 10 and said Bruno is witty and “a little out there.“
Bruno is charged with cyberstalking and harassing.
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Reader Reactions
This is not making sense to me. I use to buy puppets for my kids who are now 25 and 36 years old. So, Bruna had to be in business for at least 35 years. . She definitely does not have any competetors because she makes all the costumes herself. We just rented costumes for a famous couples theme party I was Cleopatra and my husband was Marc Antony ,It was Bruno who told me to rent the movie at the library to check out Liz Taylors makup. I had never thought to go to the library to rent movies but now I go there all the time.They are free and you can keep them for a week. So why is Sisson following Bruno to the library?
I live in the Edgewood section of Cranston and also own a small business in Cranston. I get between 18-20 telemarketing calls a day which multiplies to about 6300 calls a year.
I found out that all the major companies that you do business with, like Citizens bank, insurace companys ect ect. sell your name and number. Why is the Cranston Police focusing so much on this lady. This does not sound right to me. So will the Cranston police investigate all harrassing telemarketing calls?
As far as my reaction to the video, It was genuis. She was making fun of the foolish media, the charges and the Cranston police and got a lot of positive publicity at the same time. Smart lady !!
I saw this on vh1. This is the funniest video in the history of the media. She is one smart chick. She promoted her business, while poking fun at the media for trying to ambush her. They will probably make a movie about this. Maybe Will Farrell will be the reporter.She is infamous. I live in Boston but I am definitely going to visit this shop. I love this woman
I have never been so inspired as I am by this Ann Bruno/Bruna character. I’m a firm believer in the “two sides to every story” theory that is being applied to this case, and I’d bet that her behavior was provoked in one way or another.
Now, to be the party involved that happens to be considered at fault by the police is a harsh situation that Ann turns from lemons to lemonade with some brilliant free television into internet marketing campaign. That HAS to be respected. Not only did she turn the entire situation around, but she also got to mock some tool and show the world how unprepared this reporter really is for unexpected situations.
“Interview fail”, yeah, I think so.
I have been renting costumes from Bruna for my high school. She has been very good to me and the company. I helped her at halloween and she had at least 20 calls from telemarketers. She got in touch with 2 companies. One who said Sisson gave Bruna number. and the second who said that it was on the internet posted by someone. But Ann didn’t make a big deal of it. because sisson mention her name to a telemarketer.
What is the Fullest extent of the law in this Case?
Was anyone threatened with Bodily Harm?
was there any property Damage?
This was basicly Electronic TP Party
I live in Canada, had to list a US post code just to post this one time post. What if both business owners are in cahoots? Both are getting coverage hype. Then I think, ok, doesn’t that library have video servailance? If they do, there would be video of Anna Bruno using the computer. So if they are in it together “they; have made a false claim to the cops, also illegal.
Anyway, some local RI lawyer will be the winner in all this. In fact, this could cost Bruno so much that she has to go out of business. They have to prove intent and will easily obtain messages she sent via the ISP the library uses. If Sisson is on it with her, I guess they split the legal costs of one sueing he other.
Hollywood should come knocking on their door and put together a script on this one. Think about the remifications. Both ladies could wind up with Hollywood revenue. I think they should just go into business together already.. sounds crazy? Think about hat for a moment. They have the hype of, ok, negative publicity but..who knows.
Yes, I realized within about 5 minutes that I mixed the order of the dates of the costume purchase and Sisson’s and Bruno’s employment at the same firm. That’s why I posted a clarification within minutes.
Maybe I should get a costume ready for when Channel 10 sends a crack team of reporters over to get my side of the story?
read the comment again State Moran it says Sisson bought costume first years later 2006 Bruna showed up where Sisson worked and got a job!
Before stating comments read the add correctly@
I am correcting a statement I posted earlier….
I realize, after reading other accounts of this story, that Sisson met up again with Bruno in 2006 when they both worked for the same company. The issue over the deposit on the Bob the Builder costume happened prior, in 2001.
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