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Man Tunnels Into GameStop, Steals Games

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the digging-for-treasure dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Life imitates Minecraft: Computer game piracy is big business, but there are still those who prefer to get their games the old-fashioned way: by digging a tunnel into their local games shop and making off with as much stock as they can carry. At least, that's the slightly bizarre approach taken by a man from Greeneville, Tennessee, who was arrested late last week after being caught tunneling into his local GameStop store from an empty adjoining building." Note that the link is thin, and the sources are behind logins and subscription links, so please post better URLs if you can find them.

7 of 210 comments (clear)

  1. Jeez by TheVidiot · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Note that the link is thin, and the sources are behind logins and subscription links, so please post better URLs if you can find them.

    Isn't that your job?

  2. Don't be so hard on him.. by n1hilist · · Score: 5, Funny

    He was just playing Dig Dug ;)

  3. Video games at fault by east+coast · · Score: 5, Funny

    The boy just played far too much Minecraft.

    --
    Dedicated Cthulhu Cultist since 4523 BC.
  4. No way game over by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If he had been caught "pirating" those games, then it would be game over. He would be in debt forever with the multimillion dollar fine. But after this little burglary he will soon be out of jail and all out of debt, ready to enjoy life again.

  5. Re:Eh? by leuk_he · · Score: 5, Informative

    Here... a video of the heist.

  6. Re:Done before by russotto · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Felony burglarly: State offense, 2-12 years in state prison, plus a $5000 fine. Likely at least two counts because two buildings were involved, but I'd expect the sentences to be served concurrently. Quite likely to be plea-bargained, and parole is available.

    Criminal copyright infringement under the No Electronic Theft Act: 5 years imprisonment in pound-me-in-the-ass Federal Prison (plea bargain unlikely and parole unavailable), a fine of up to $250,000, plus civil penalties of up to $100,000 per work infringed.

    Neither is likely to be much fun, but it looks like criminal copyright infringement still carries higher penalties. Note that if this is a second offense it goes up to 10 years imprisonment in PMITA Federal Prison.

  7. NOT a Tunnel! by markass530 · · Score: 5, Informative

    The dude just busted a hole in the wall. In my world, a tunnel goes underground, and I think the reason the story seemed so good is that was inferred.