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NBC had some cute and unusual self promotion going on during the Today show this morning. “Cute” is admittedly a strange way to put it, considering this is a story about a crime, but that’s how the network spun it. Recently Justine Faeth, an assistant at a media company in Manhattan had a strange interaction with a man who showed up and demanded to see an executive about an idea for a show he had. She told him he needed an appointment, but he wouldn’t leave. He wasn’t some super persistent show business type; he was sticking around and annoying the assistant with requests for DVDs, asking him to get her a glass of water, etc. After he finally left, Faeth found out that a purse had been stolen and dumped in the stairwell. She saved the cup and tissue the man had used and then discarded on her desk to give to police, and said it was because of all the hours she’s spent watching “Law & Order: SVU.”

Naturally, NBC is having a field day with the “TV is good for you after all!” idea.

Proving that TV can be good for you after all, a 24-year-old “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” fanatic helped police nab a suspected serial robber in New York, thanks to the amateur sleuthing skills she picked up watching the long-running television series. It was a day just like any other day when the fast-talking stranger entered City Lights Media in midtown Manhattan, telling assistant Justine Faeth he had an idea for a show — something involving 50 Cent, Faeth said — and wanted to talk to someone about it.

Faeth told the man that he needed an appointment to talk to an executive, but the intrusive visitor continued to hang around. “We don’t allow walk-ins,” Faeth told hosts Matt Lauer and Ann Curry on TODAY Thursday. “So I gave him some information, like e-mail [addresses], and I told him he could set up a meeting. I thought he was annoying, like, ‘Just go away; I’m trying to work,’ ” she added. Then the man told Faeth he felt sick and needed a glass of water. A wary Faeth directed him to the kitchen to get his own water. Leaving his used cup and a used tissue on Faeth’s desk, the man finally left the office via the stairwell, Faeth said.

It wasn’t long after that Faeth discovered that a wallet, an iPod and a cell phone were missing from a co-worker’s purse, which was discovered in the stairwell. Having seen every episode of “Law & Order: SVU,” Faeth thought: What would the show’s intrepid female sleuth, Detective Olivia Benson, do in this situation? Career criminal Kevin Moore stole several items from Justine Faeth’s workplace — but made the mistake of leaving behind a cup of water he drank from and a used tissue. Suspecting that it was the slick stranger who had stolen the missing items, Faeth alertly saved the cup and tissue he used, knowing they might contain helpful DNA evidence. However, when police came to investigate, they said DNA was used mainly in major cases such as rape and murder, so they did not take the cup and tissue, according to Faeth.

But Faeth’s faith in “SVU” would pay off after all. After viewing a video surveillance tape, police returned the next day to ask if Faeth still had the evidence. Fortunately she did, and police were able to match DNA samples from the cup and tissue to a man in their criminal database. Faeth credited her “Law & Order” addiction and the science of genetics for helping to nab Moore. “I have family in law [enforcement], so I think it might be in my blood,” she explained on TODAY. “I’m just happy he was caught and I was able to help.”

[From MSNBC]

Kevin Moore was charged with multiple counts of burglary and grand larceny – according to police, he’s been pulling stunts like this all over the city. The best part of the interview – which seems a little disorganized when you watch it – is that they have SVU star Mariska Hargitay call in and compliment Faeth on her great detective skills. It could have been cheesy but was actually really cute because Faeth went all fangirl on her and kinda sorta freaked out a bit. Mariska Hargitay, by the way, is all class. She is one of the few celebrities I’d actually want to hang out with. She always comes across as whip smart, gracious, and well-adjusted. Now I sound like a fangirl too. Which I sorta am – there’s a chance I’ve seen every single episode so many times, I could quote them all if need be.

Here are Mariska and Christopher Meloni relaxing on West 43rd Street in New York City, on August 13, 2009 before heading to the set to film “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit”. Images thanks to Fame Pictures .