Police Investigating Virtual Furniture Theft

krou writes "Finnish police are involved in the investigation of up to 400 cases of theft from virtual world Habbo Hotel, with some users reporting the loss of up to €1000 of virtual furniture and other items. Users were targeted using a phishing scam that used fake webpages to capture usernames and passwords. There is no mention as to whether or not the thieves made off with the bath towels, gowns, shampoo bottles, and soaps."

Comments

"Stealing" virtual property?

[rotide]

Ok, if someone takes a physical object from you without your consent, that's theft. If they break into your house to do it, that's B&E + theft.

If you have an online account with "things" that are sellable/transferable out of it, is taking those "theft"? Obviously the B&E part is some form of computer trespassing, etc, but do the items exist in such a fashion to be considered "missing" if stolen?

I get they are no longer accessible from your account, but if they can only be viewed through "the web" do they really exist?

If I buy a physical book off amazon, I get a physical thing. If amazon goes the way of the dodo, I still have my book.

If I buy a virtual couch from VirtualCouchGuys.com and they go out of business, my, as well as everyone elses couch, goes bye bye. Just the same as a cell phone service/plan would go bye bye if the company simply folds and turns out the lights.

So wouldn't virtual goods be services then? It is a service to log in and see a blue pin striped couch more than it is an item. But what about the whole "theft" portion? How can you "steal" service? The only thing I can think of is akin to stealing bandwidth through WEP Wifi or cutting someones phone line and splicing yours into it or doing the same with cable.

You're not stealing a physical object, you're stealing a service. I guess that's the only rational way to go after "virtual furniture" thieves. But, now, if I steal cable, can the cops arrest me? Apparently, yes. The actual charge appears to be "unauthorized use of computer, cable, or telecommunications property" which seems to fit with virtual items as well (correct me if I'm wrong).

Now, I know this is in Finland, but it seems it would apply here in the States too.

Re:"Stealing" virtual property?

[billcopc]

Pretend for the sake of argument that today's money is NOT imaginary... a stretch, I know, but work with me here.

If someone breaches your bank account, takes out your money, they have money. They can use that money to buy stuff.

If someone takes your virtual furniture, they have virtual furniture. You can't do shit with virtual furniture unless you find another cretin to buy your virtual couches in exchange for MONEY. There's a big difference.

If I go get obscenely drunk tonight and invent "virtual bear hugs" and a web site where they can be traded, and someone "steals" a bunch of virtual bear hugs, it's still just mass hysteria built atop a pile of bullshit. The fact that there are some seriously deranged people willing to pay for this bullshit, does not mean it should be a matter of public interest worthy of police oversight. At the heart of it all, these people are arguing over nothing.

Ultimately, if anyone can do something about the "theft", it's the sysadmins of Habbo Hotel. Check the logs, find out who "stole" the shit, and return it. Maybe ban the user if this is considered grief-play. If we let this kind of thing get out of hand, next time we'll be throwing twelve year olds in PMITA federal prison for ninja'ing in World of Warcraft...