Pokemon Go game has been linked to 105 crimes in five weeks

Police recorded 105 offences linked to the Pokemon Go game in just five weeks – including robberies, sex offences and thefts, it can be revealed.

A Freedom of Information request to the Met Police revealed a string of offences logged by cops since the launch of the app in the UK on July 14 until August 21 – a period of just five weeks.

The game, a smash hit all over the globe with more than 500 million downloads, allows players to ‘track down and catch’ various Pokemon characters by scouring the streets for them.

The stats show that Pokemon Go was linked to 105 crimes from July 14- August 21, including;

• Robberies – 37
• Theft & Handling – 32
• Violence against the person – 22 (broken down to four counts of wounding/GBH, four assaults with injury, eight common assaults and six counts of harassment)
• Sexual offences – 6
• Drug offences – 3
• Criminal damage – 2
• Other offences – 2
• Burglary – 1

A spokesman for the Met said the stats showed ‘the count of total notifiable offences where the key terms Pokemon or Pokemon Go’ were mentioned in crime reports recorded between July 14 and August 21.

He said that officers from safer neighbourhood teams would attend ‘Poker stops’ – where players collect ‘virtual eggs’ and ‘Poke Balls’, which allow them to capture more Pokemon characters – to speak to players about the possibility of being victims of crime.

He said: ‘We are always looking for opportunities to prevent crime and our Safer Neighbourhood Teams will prioritise how and where they focus their attentions based on the needs of the local area.

‘This is done in consultation with communities and local stakeholders and the merits of officers attending local Poker stops would be decided as part of this process.

‘We would encourage anyone playing Pokémon Go to pay attention to their environment while they do it.

‘There may be an increased risk of accident or of players becoming victims of theft by those targeting them for their devices.

‘Mobile phone theft is still a very real problem but one that can be greatly reduced by careful use in public.

‘Please enjoy the game but stay alert to the outside world while you do.’

Other offences around the UK include an alleged rape at a nightclub in Kent which was holding a Pokemon-themed night for students.

Surrey Police attended reports of 30 people fighting after a Pokemon hunt turned into a brawl.

And officers in north Wales discovered a man had invited children back to his home ‘as he had lots of Pokemon at his address’.

Courtesy: Daily Mail