Philly Police Warn Pokemon Players of Dangers

Raise your hand if you, or someone you know, is playing Pokemon Go. (I’ll bet some of you can’t raise your hand right now because it’s already on your smartphone!) The smartphone app is the latest iteration of Pokemon, short for “Pocket Monsters,” a gaming craze that started on consoles in the 1990s and has never really died out. Pokemon Go encourages users to get out of the house by using augmented reality to place Pokemon at certain landmarks throughout different cities. It sounds like lighthearted fun, but Philadelphia police have warned citizens to be careful while they’re out “catching them all.”

Shown: a Pokemon at a Philly-area Wawa.

The PPD 35th District tweeted this week: “Be mindful on what you play online, A String of armed robberies perpetrated by suspects who targeted their victims using Pokémon Go [sic].”

The app launched July 6th, and there have already been reports of crime associated with players involved in the game. In Missouri, an armed robber targeted his victim using the game. And there have been reports across the nation of strings of robberies connected to people using the app.

This is to say nothing of the inherent dangers of people walking (or, God forbid, driving) around with their noses in their smartphones, unaware of their surroundings. It’s only anecdotal, but my own Facebook feed has been filled with stories of pedestrians nearly getting hit by cars as they play Pokemon Go, blissfully ignorant of the traffic around them.

Philadelphia Police spokesman Eric Gripp sent NBC10 a few simple tips for players, especially for kids. They include remembering the concept of “stranger danger” and being wary of those you encounter at Pokestops and gyms. Parents should set limits on where kids can go, limiting them to, say, just the confines of the neighborhood. And, as I already mentioned, pay attention to where you are walking! It’s not just a matter of courtesy; it could save your life.

Other than that, happy Poke-ing!