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Over 12,000 black Nintendo DS Lite Systems Stolen
Wowzer writes "$2.32 million worth of black Nintendo DS Lite systems stolen in Hong Kong when their shipment making its way from China, where the DS Lites are made, to Europe where the black DS Lites are launching on June 23rd. The Hong Kong police suspected that the black DS Lite units sold in Hong Kong recently were part of the same theft and offers one million Hong Kong dollars ($128,840 or 102,138) to anyone with a tip. So next time you see one being sold on eBay from Hong Kong, give the cops a call."
"So next time you see one being sold on eBay from Hong Kong, give the cops a call."
This is just a fucking stupid thing to say. First off, lots of electronics are sold on eBay from Hong Kong. The chances of one DS Lite being part of a stolen shipment is not great enough to warrant calling the cops every time you see one. Secondly, to think the authorities aren't watching eBay themselves is pretty ignorant. Of *course* they're watching eBay, in addition to a million other outlets.
Finally, just which "cops" is the poster suggesting you call? Because seeing as how this theft occured *in Hong Kong*, I doubt that anyone besides the authorities there even care. Your local deputy, and even the FBI, don't give a shit.
Ignore this advice and avoid wasting everyones' time, including your own...
-JT
Something is seriously wrong witht that first sentence. Remove the descriptors and it breaks down to this:
"Nintendo DS Lite systems stolen when their shipment to Europe where the black DS Lites are launching on June 23rd"
Were they stolen on the ship by pirates? I don't understand.
* chirp * chirp *
That's a very good question. My guess is that since the theft is relatively high profile, that eBay may feel obliged to shut down all auctions of black DS Lites for a while. And I wouldn't be at all surprised if Nintendo itself made such a request. In any case, anyone trying to sell any of the stolen DS Lites is likely going to attract more attention than usual for a while and has a higher risk of getting caught. Knowing this, it probably wouldn't be a good idea to try to get a black DS Lite on eBay right now since you wouldn't know and may even end up having to give the DS back if it turns out to be part of the stolen shipment.
To the making of books there is no end, so let's get started
One of the great things of the DS is the internet play. Nintendo just has to ban the MAC addresses/serial numbers for those units and buyers lose out on that part of the fun.
Not at all. If they only have enough resources to make a certain number of units, and they've forcasted a certain profit coming from them, and are relying on that profit, then if a large proportion of those units a lost, then it can cause a lot of problems. Yes, they've lost the money it took to create the units, but they've also lost the profits, which they may not be able to make up for some time.
I don't know if the units were insured for full retail value or less, but a big chunk of the cost is going to be caught by Nintendo's (or the shipper's) insurance company.
If they pay out the cash quickly, it may even work out in Nintendo's favor (given interest rates and an average time to pay for merchandise ordered by retailers of about 90 days...). Actually, that's not likely but it is possible.