The new mobile game Pokemon Go, released on Wednesday with a great reception from the public, already has its first victims. In addition to some minor incidents, such as young injured for not paying attention when walking, a group of criminals was using the application to attract users to their areas and steal their belongings.
In augmented reality application that combines the game with the physical world, participants must travel to important local sites, represented as "Pokestops" to collect supplies needed for your goal: to capture and train Pokemon.
Missouri Police reported this weekend that at least four youths were victims of theft, after being attracted to places where, depending on the application, there was greater abundance of desired digital pets. Four criminals arrested admitted having placed in the application a "beacon" in your area, used to appear more species. Therefore, users also come to these places, guided by their cell phones, trying to "catch".
The agents identified the thieves, aged between 16 and 18 years, during the early hours of Sunday and were arrested in possession of a weapon.
As reported by the portal St. Louis Post-Dispatch, initially the police did not understand the mechanics of the game and why the crime had increased in the area, so younger agents should explain the situation.
"Our concern is that some points of the game are located in areas more dangerous than others. Some people are using the machinations to put others in danger," said Sergeant Phil Hardin.
The game has been in high demand in the iPhone App Store after the initial launch, conducted for the United States, Australia and New Zealand.
Police in Darwin, Australia, has even asked the players not enter the station, which is a Pokestop in the game.