FWIW, I got the impression he wasn't claiming the guy was 'planted' as such, just some random douchebag.

Still, I agree. Sounds suspiciously like bullshit to claim that mob investigators would be gathering useful information from the speculative observations and rehashed info made by anonymous posters on an internet message board on the subject. If anything, all they got was info they should have already known, nothing that should possibly be considered actual intelligence gathering. If it's true, the State Police of MA are in a pretty sad fucking state.

Whoever Vinny was, he didn't have the balls to post any follow up's. Unless this Hal character is Vinny. Not the same thing as 'following up' though.