Virtual Mugger arrested in Japan

[gray_ghost]

This is just getting silly

"A man has been arrested in Japan on suspicion carrying out a virtual mugging spree by using software "bots" to beat up and rob characters in the online computer game Lineage II. The stolen virtual possessions were then exchanged for real cash.
The Chinese exchange student was arrested by police in Kagawa prefecture, southern Japan, the Mainichi Daily News reports."

There have got to be easier ways to make money.

Comments

[venischazeik.livejournal.com]

I must be missing something here. It's a *game*. The muggings weren't real. They were part of a game. Why arrest the guy?

[snash-attack.livejournal.com]

In Asia, the policing of online games is becoming a reality. They're an even bigger deal over there than they are here, and murders are committed over in-game gaffes. It has gotten especially bad in Korea and Japan apparently, but China suffers from some of these issues too. In any case, even though it is virtual property, and not real property, that this guy was stealing, it still represents a time investment that many people take VERY seriously...it could have taken someone 18 hours of playing with one specific goal in mind to acquire the goods that this guy took from them. So, in that respect, it is very similar to actual theft...

[gray-ghost.livejournal.com]

I think because he was trying to sell the stuff he stole on eBay? I guess they have laws against that sort of thing in Japan. Korea even has a cybercrimes task force unit which specifically deals with stuff like this.

LOL...it will only get worse once we all get hooked up with mindjacks like cyberpunk writers keep promising us. I guess Pat Cadigan (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1568581858/qid=1124490146/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-6048847-7419851?v=glance&s=books&n=507846) was right all along.

Anyway...it's a fucking game. People need to get a grip. The motive for the mugging wouldn't even exist if there weren't people selling their cool virtual toys online.