‘Law & Order: SVU’ Fan Gets Invited To Visit Show After Helping Catch Alleged Crook

A 24-year-old “Law & Order: SVU” fan helped cops in New York City catch an alleged robber by using techniques she saw on the NBC show.

Justine Faeth, an assistant at the television production company, City Lights Media in New York City, was working away in the lobby of her office on June 15, when a man came in asking to pitch an idea for a new show.

“He came into the office… and he wanted to pitch a show,” Faeth told Ann Curry and Matt Lauer on “Today” earlier this week. “That’s common, people do come and they want to pitch shows, but we don’t allow walk-ins to see our executives. They have to have a meeting. So I gave him some information… and I told him he could call back.”

Instead, the man, 50-year-old Kevin Moore, hung around asking more questions and bothering Faeth to get him some free swag.

“He tried to get me to get up the whole time to get him a DVD of one of our shows, ” Faeth told the “Today” show hosts, noting she did not give him any promotional products.

She did allow the man to get a plastic cup of water after he complained about having to take a host of medicine.

Later, after the man left, Faeth found out a co-worker’s purse had been found in the stairwell and several valuable items including the woman’s wallet, cell phone and iPod were missing, and she began to do a little Detective Olivia Benson-style (the character played by Mariska Hargitay) sleuthing. She collected the cup the stranger had used and a tissue and saved them.

“I knew to save the cup at least for fingerprints — the show taught me that,” she told the NY Post. “It’s amazing what you can learn on a TV show.”

Authorities retrieved the evidence from Faeth, processed it and matched the DNA on the cup and tissue to Moore.

Moore, according to the New York Post, is a suspect in 10 similar incidents.

He was eventually caught and charged on August 21 with burglary and grand larceny, a rep for the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office confirmed to the Post.

“I’m just happy that he was caught and that I was able to help and the DNA I caught was able to help,” Faeth told “Today”

And while the alleged crook has been caught, Faeth is still receiving praise, including from Hargitay herself.

“I have to say, I’m just in awe of your presence of mind and your clarity to think,” Hargitay told Faeth on the “Today” show earlier this week. “You’re such an inspiration to so many people.”

“I love you and I love Elliot,” Faeth told Hargitay. “Where’s Elliot by the way?” she added referring to Hargitay’s co-star, Christopher Meloni.

As it turns out, Faeth will have the opportunity to find out. A rep for “Law & Order: SVU” confirmed to Access Hollywood that the young woman will be invited to visit the set.