Pokémon Go has been the cause of a number of violent crimes committed in Greater Manchester over the last three months, MM can reveal.
A Freedom of Information request has revealed that a shocking nine crimes, including one threat to kill and five counts of personal robbery, were committed relating to the app between July and August 2016.
Four of the personal robberies took place in South Manchester, while the single threat to kill was carried out in Stockport.
In three of the counts of personal robbery, unsuspecting gamers were held up by criminals armed with knives and forced to hand over their phones.
The other crimes committed included common assault and battery, as well as a case of theft from a shop.
Greater Manchester Police released a statement warning youngsters to the dangers of the game when it first garnered popularity in Manchester after its release in July.
Detective Superintendent Joanne Rawlinson, from GMP’s public protection division, said: “We know that criminals move quickly to exploit the latest developments to target victims and Pokémon Go will already be in their sights.
“There have already been incidents in America where young people are thought to have been targeted through the app.
“I would urge parents to speak to their children about the app and the best ways to make sure they stay safe. Talking to your child is one of the best ways to keep them safe.”
The statement also told citizens to be alert when using the app around roads, to play with friends rather than alone, and to not play the game whilst driving.
The app encourages users to walk to real world places in hunt of virtual Pokémon on their phone.
It made the news upon release for being the cause for a number of incidents in the US where people had been mugged whilst playing the game.
Image courtesy of AnimeTiggy via YouTube, with thanks.
