A Pokémon Go user has found themselves the unfortunate target of thieves during their latest play session.
Twitch streamer Anthony ‘xDeezznutzx’ had not long gone live on the platform yesterday, October 8th, when the incident occurred, with verbal exchanges, as well as audible sounds of a physical struggle, being captured and subsequently clipped by fans and uploaded to the Amazon-owned website. During the ordeal, 23-year-old Anthony can be heard repeatedly telling his attackers “I don’t got nothing. I don’t have anything,” before one assailant responds with “the f**k is wrong with you!?”
The victim’s stream cuts out shortly after the assault, though the thieves, believed to be in a group of four, can later be heard conversing amongst each other, with one exclaiming “we got to get up through here really quick. Come on. We got his vape, his car keys,” while another chimes in with surprise over how many portable chargers were snatched from the streamer, saying: “He was going live? Why does he got so many goddam portable chargers?”
According to a Reddit thread detailing the situation, police have been informed of the theft though, as of writing, no arrests have been made.
Unfortunate circumstances, then, and sadly, seemingly not uncommon as far as Pokémon Go is concerned. While Anthony’s choice of game likely had little to do with his being targeted this time around, Niantic’s hit mobile title has been the catalyst for numerous crimes and misdemeanors, as was the case earlier this year, when a Japanese man was arrested for assaulting a friend over a dispute concerning control of an in-game gym. Likewise, various institutions, including a US Holocaust museum, labelled players attempting to ‘Catch ‘Em All’ on-site as extremely inappropriate.
Though such events are nobody’s fault but the offenders, today’s news serves as a potent reminder that Pokémon Go players and, indeed, all mobile gamers, should be wary of their surroundings at all times.