here's nbc's national investigative correspondent jeff rossen. >> reporter: they strike without warningatching cell phones right out of your hands. some victims even getting beaten up. >> hi, i can help you swipe your device. >> reporter: now a top cop says these machines are fueling the violence. >> that's the motivator for the criminal element. >> reporter: they're called eco atms, kiosks that recycle your used cell phone. there are more than 400 of them in shopping malls across the country. here's how they work. you put your phone in a bin. the machine scans it for market value and then gives you cash right on the spot. but critics say these machines are driving thieves to steal more phones for a quick payout. washington, d.c. police chief kathy linear. >> i can knock you down and steal your phone, find the nearest atm and get up to $300 cash. >> reporter: in fact, police say stolen phones have turned up inside of ecoatms nationwide from georgia, texas to california. the company says it has a system to keep criminals away. first scanning the person's driver's license and then taking

jeff rossen from nbc news. i met up with mara in the parking lot.disneyland's profiting a lot from all of the people that enter. we live in a capitalist country, and i don't feel like it's morally wrong. >> reporter: maura is unapologetic, but when i interview ryan, he's defiant. do you think you're abusing the system? >> no. >> reporter: why not? >> i gave him a wonderful tour. >> reporter: about your disabled pass, where you went into side entrances and exits, and they're not disabled at all a. they're complete strangers, and you charged them for it. >> and? >> reporter: do you feel pangs of guilt when you pass the people waiting in line for the people that are paying you? >> it's a moral question. >> reporter: that's the question. you don't feel morally -- >> i couldn't care less. >> reporter: -- about those people waiting in line? >> no. >> reporter: but disney has a big problem with it. telling us in a statement, we find it deplorable. we have initiated a review of this abuse, and we'll take appropriate steps to deter this type of unacceptable

you just played the interview with the neighbor with jeff rossen. police have been asked about this repeatedly, and they continue to insist that reports of multiple calls to 911 are false. that's what we're hearing from the police. >> and that's something i want to ask clint about. is this discrepancy between what we're hearing from the community and from law enforcement. neighbors say they sauce suspicious activities taking place at the house. there was? cause for concern or at least alarm. police are saying there was not linking the community sort of -- what the community was saying to actual police reports. how much is that sort of going to be combed over in the coming days and weeks as we try to make sense of this thing? >> well, it's going to have to be, one of at least three different things. number one, they could have been neighboring who simply waved down police cars or squad cars, told officers. they checked real quick and went back on patrol, had to go on another call, something like that, and didn't make any type of official entry. the p

jeff rossen with a camera hidden inside disney and a look at the tricks many are using to skip lines and new kids on the block, 98 degrees and boys ii men. keep it here for news, weather, sports and more. i'm richard lui along with bill karins. you have a good weekend. >>> break news, flames rerupted in a well known san francisco restaurant this morning and what we are hearing from the crews on the scene. >>> and we are also following the break news that could affect your commute. b.a.r.t. is experiencing major delays. mike will have all of the delays. >>> out in force as police crews are expected to be out in the streets. >>> and a man from cupertino and what his wife is telling us. >>> and high fire danger as the temperatures are going to rise. hot wind and weather expected to increase. that danger all over the bay area. we will have a look at that change in the forecast.

s office, no one knew until now, exposing district attorney jeff rossen ordered some employees time sheets be oltered to get time offer and let employees bank their vacation days. the d.a. says to make up for some bonus lost time there in the wake of budget cuts. the new documents show the d.a.'s office kept records of how much time off was given to each employee and those papers have notes on them. nobody at the county could tell us whose writing it is or who created the paperwork. we showed it to county executive jeff smith. he said county payroll had no idea any of this existed. >> we just expect a lot more from an elected d.a. who is the senior law enforcement official in the county. >> the d.a.'s office provided us with a statement that says, quote, there is no second set of books or second payroll system. the attorney general's office is civilry reviewing the administrative leave issue. out of the respect for the integrity of that process, we will defer further public comment at this time. now, smith said he's considering assigning payroll staff from other parts of that county to ove

jeff rossen spoke with two neighbors. >> reporter: this man says in 2011 a neighbor saw a woman holding a child in the house and banged on the window for help. >> i called the cops and they pounded 20 times, 5, 8 minutes, no answer. shined the light and saw the windows were boarded up and got in the squad car and left. >> reporter: that was it? >> that was it. >> reporter: last july, another disturbing sight there. >> my granddaughter told me about a naked lady crawling on her hands and knees. >> reporter: on tuesday, police were adamant that they've never been called to the house for those reasons. >> savannah guthrie asked the police chief a moment ago about the calls. let's listen to this interview. >> we have no record of those calls coming in. >> you have no record of it. does that mean that the calls did not come and for whatever reason they were never recorded? >> no, we would have a recording of those calls. >> craig melvin is joining us. we've been talking for a couple of hours. we've got four counts of kidnapping here, all felonies, all very serious felonies and of course now

friends continue to ask whether police could have intervened earlier to free the three women snubs's jeff rossenghbor about a call he said he made to police. >> i called the cops. the -- they were -- 6 [ male announcer ] let's say you pay your guy around 2% to manage your money. that's not much, you think. except it's 2% every year. go to e-trade and find out how much our advice and guidance costs. spoiler alert: it's low. it's guidance on your terms, not ours. e-trade. less for us. more for you. it'thto fight chronic.terms, osteoarthritis pain. to fight chronic low back pain. to take action. to take the next step. today, you will know you did something for your pain. cymbalta can help. cymbalta is a pain reliever fda-approved to manage chronic musculoskeletal pain. one non-narcotic pill a day, every day, can help reduce this pain. tell your doctor right away if your mood worsens, you have unusual changes in mood or behavior or thoughts of suicide. anti-depressants can increase these in children, teens, and young adults. cymbalta is not for children under 18. people taking maois, linezolid or th

today national investigative correspondent jeff rossen has more on that. hey, jeff. >> reporter: good morning to you. we've heard a lot about ariel castro in the last week. police say he kidnapped, raped and tortured those women for a decade in his own house. his own relatives call him a monster. his lawyer says, hang on, people have it all wrong. in fact, they say, castro is a loving dad. early tuesday he met with his new legal team inside the county jail. when his lawyers emerged, they were painting a new picture of this man accused of unspeakable crimes. >> the initial portrayal by the media has been one of a, quote, monster and that's not the impression i got. >> reporter: they spoke exclusive to affiliate kyc laying out the defense strategy for the first time. >> it definitely is going to be two words, not guilty. >> reporter: but police sources say in his interrogation castro confessed, giving investigators exacting detail about how he abducted michelle, amanda and gina. >> this child kidnapper operated a torture chamber and private prison in the hear

jeff rossen from nbc news. i met up with mara in the parking lot.rofiting from this. >> well disneyland is profiting a lot from all the people that enter. we live in a capitalist country and i don't feel like it's morally wrong. >> reporter: mara is unapologetic but when i introduce ryan he's downright defiant. do you think you're abusing the system? >> no. >> reporter: why not? >> i gave him a wonderful tour. >> reporter: with your disabled pass you went into side entrances and exits and they're complete strangers and you charged them for it. >> and? >> reporter: do you ever feel any pangs of guilt cutting past all of the people waiting in line and paying you. >> it's a moral question. >> reporter: you don't feel morally -- >> i couldn't care less. >> reporter: about others waiting in line? >> no. >> reporter: disney says we find it deplorable. we have initiated a review of this abuse and will take appropriate steps to deter this type of unacceptable activity. that way, no one's jumping ahead of you this summer who shouldn't be. that's the goal, is

today, national correspondent, jeff rossen is in cleveland once again. good morning. >> reporter: hey, matt, good morning. ariel castro waking up once again this morning in the county jail. he is on suicide watch which means guards are literally checking on him every 10 minutes and keeping logs of his every move. we have those logs and you may be surprised what he has been up to in his cell the past few days. the big news is how did he keep those girls hidden so long without any knowing. this morning, we're taking you inside that house for the first time. ariel castro as we've never seen him before playing base in his kitchen, care-free. this cell phone video obtained by nbc news was taken just a few months ago. the girls, police say, were held captive just steps away. we showed the video to castro's cousin, maria. >> it breaks my heart to think he was acting like that while those girls were suffering the way they did. >> reporter: now, castro is behind bars and guards are tracking his every move. we obtained the official jailhouse logs. castro spends mo

today national investigative correspondent jeff rossen is in los angeles with more on this.d morning. >> hey, matt, good morning to you. sounds like a great idea. an atm where you can trade in your used cell phone and get instant cash for it. but now some police say these machines are actually making it easier than ever for criminals who can steal your phone and quickly profit from it. >> they strike without warning. thieves snatching cell phones right out of your hands. some victims even getting beaten up. >> hi. >> now a top cop says these machines are fueling the violence. >> it's a motivator for the criminal element. >> they're called eco atms, kiosks that recycle your used cell phones. there are more than 400 of them in shopping malls across the country. here's how they work. you put your phone in a bin, the machine scans it for market value, and then gives you cash right on the spot. but critics say these machines are driving thieves to steal more phones for a quick payout. washington, d.c. police chief kathy lanier. >> i can knock you down, steal your phone, find an a

today national investigative correspondent jeff rossen and his team went undercover to show us how itls season, a lot of kids taking their finals. and in a new survey, 63% of college kids admit to cheating. and these days it's easier than ever. no more plagiarizing or downloading old papers off the internet. now kids are paying strangers for customized papers, fooling even the best professors. who are these ghostwriters? this morning, we're pulling back the curtain with our hidden cameras rolling. >> reporter: this is taylor, your typical college student, overwhelmed with school work. and she has a new paper due next week. >> how are you? >> good, how are you? >> that's why she's hiring these complete strangers. >> how are you? >> to write the paper for her. >> how does this whole thing work? i'm nervous doing this. >> i write it for you. >> what these guys don't know, taylor, not her real name is no college student. >> good afternoon, "today" show. >> she's a "today" show staffer helping us expose how easy it is to cheat in school without getting caught. >> look at what we found onli

let's get to "today" national investigative correspondent jeff rossen. he's in cleveland. good morning to you. >> reporter: matt, savannah, good morning to you. a lot to get to this morning, including ariel castro sitting in this 9 by 9 jail cell beginning to map out his defense strategy. there are other big headlines over the weekend as well. ariel castro's brothers, arrested and cleared by police they're speaking out for the first time. what do they have to stay about their brother? and, of course, that dramatic video you mentioned, taking you inside the moment police officers rushed up this sidewalk and freed the girls from that house. in this cell phone video obtained by nbc news, officers rush to the scene, pushing in the front door. >> oh [ bleep ]. >> reporter: once inside, gina dejesus and michelle knight jumped into officers' arms. the bystanders who shot the video say they saw amanda berry outside in tears holding her 6-year-old daughter. >> she was saying that she needed help, that they were in danger, she just kept hugging the cop and telling them, you know, lik

jeff rossen is here with surprising information. good morning. >> positive thinking.soon i'm convinced of it. lot of us heading to the beach this weekend, heading to the stores today to buy sunscreen. if you think the most expensive brands work best, think again. the new sunscreen ratings are out this morning, and we have the results. ♪ i'm gonna soak up the sun >> reporter: this weekend sunbathers will hit the beach and so will the kids. before you slather on that lotion, "consumer reports" tests 12 sunscreens. is the spf on the bottle actually what you're getting? >> you want to buy the best for your kids. >> reporter: the highest number? >> the highest number. >> reporter: researchers found some of the least expensive sunscreens scored the best including coppertone and hawaiian tropic. even these generic store brands from walmart, walgreens and target all deliver the protection their labels promised, all recommended by the magazine. >> we found six that are really good at protecting against uva and uvb rays and affordable price. >> reporter: those sunscreens beat o

today national investigative correspondent jeff rossen is here. >> this will be eye-opening for a lotbuy a puppy, you want it to be happy, healthy and well treated and a lot of people depend on the american kennel club to be a breeder. you think it must stand for excellence, you're getting a good dog. but this morning we found disgusting conditions and sick dogs at akc-registered operations. >> the portuguese water dog. >> reporter: it is the epitome of canine perfection, the westminster dog show. >> the best in show -- >> reporter: and the american kennel club is proud to oversee it. on the akc's own website calling itself the dog's champion, registering puppies with official puppies, inspecting breeders. many dog owners count on it, looking for that seal before purchasing a puppy. but critics say there's an ugly reality you don't see. some akc breeders raising deceased dogs, malnourished, living in their own filth. so disturbing, now two of the country's largest animal welfare groups, the aspca and the humane society, are condemning the akc. >> if i'm looking to buy a dog and i see

let us getting right to "today" national investigative correspondent jeff rossen who is covering the story. >> reporter: good morning. ariel castro is doing some terrible and unspeakable things from thinks girls. you'll hear the graphic chilling details in a moment. in court, as you mentioned within the past 90 minutes, he simply stared at the floor, looked down as the prosecutor laid out the charges against him. at one point the prosecutor said today the situation as turned, your honor. mr. castro stands before you as a captive. >>> also this morning for the first time we are hearing from the victims themselves about life inside of that house. this as many of them wake up this morning finally back in their own beds. >> reporter: homecoming day for amanda berry, back with her family for the first time in a decade. across town, gina dejesus came home too, that's her in the neon hoodie giving the thumbs up, reunited with her mom and dad. >> i never gave up! never >> never. >> never gave up searching for her. >> reporter: as the families embraced in joy -- >> we found them. we found the

and jeff rossen he's here to discuss the details. >> a range of emotions, celebrating the return of the girls but the big question, how did the suspects keep this massive secret for more than a decade? this morning we are learning much more about the suspects and what may have happened inside that house. neighbors say they noticed alarming activity years ago, this man lives just a few doors down. he told us in 2011 his sister saw a woman holding a child in the house and banging on the window for help. >> i called the cops. the cops pull up, pounded a good 20 times, they was there five, eight minutes, no answer. they shined a light inside the driveway, see the windows boarded up, got back inside the squad car and left. >> rickey: that was it? >> that was it. >> rickey: last july another neighbor noticed another disturbing site. >> my granddaughter told me about the naked lady calling on her hands and knees in the backyard. >> rickey: she said she called the police but they never came. tuesday police were adam ant they've never been called to the house for those reasons. >> we have no ind