

Addicted Gamers Succumb To Cybercafe Thefts 47
Thanks to the Hong Kong Standard for their story discussing a sharp rise in petty theft from Hong Kong video game centers, a statistic they blame on addicted gamers losing track of their real-life possessions in a gaming swirl. According to Connitta Chau, New Territories South Crime Prevention Officer, "Players are often distracted when they play video games. Many customers put their phones on tables or computers", making them prime targets for having items stolen. She further revealed that "Thieves sometimes talked victims into letting them borrow their mobile phones and simply walked away with the handset." Do players need a purse or handbag to put their valuables in, or is there no way to cure the distracted real-life state of an avid gamer?
Comment removed (Score:5, Funny)
Re:heh (Score:2)
I agree, although gamers in japan must be particularly stupid or trustworthy.. you'd never seen an American kid in a large city leave their cellphone sitting on a table out of view.
Re:heh (Score:5, Funny)
Well, Americans must be pretty stupid if they think that Hong Kong is in Japan.
Re:heh (Score:2)
Good catch..
Re:heh (Score:1, Informative)
Re:heh (Score:4, Insightful)
Do players need a purse or handbag to put their valuables in
Where do they keep them when not gaming? Don't they have pockets? DO they walk around with the cell phone, wallet, pda, whatever in their hands?
Re:heh (Score:1)
Re:heh (Score:1, Informative)
Guess I'm not keeping up with what other Asians are doing. I'll leave that to you.
Re:heh (Score:1)
Re:heh (Score:1)
I see guys that are very definitely not asian that do this with all sorts of crap that should be in their pockets (ie wallet, keys, etc) and wonder how they get through a week without having it stolen (and, interestingly enough, they're usually the guys that can't find their stuff when they need to go home a few hours later). I'm not sure what it is, maybe some kind of phobia related to pockets, but it has nothing to do with
Re:heh (Score:1)
Hmmmm.... (Score:2, Interesting)
Not anything new, really (Score:3, Insightful)
The people that have their things stolen in such a manner have nothing to whine about if they don't take pay attention, or carelessly leave things lying about.
On the bright side, there are still a number of people that make an effort to return stuff left in public buildings or transport (I know, different kind of carelessness, but same effect). I've run across a few in my history of folly, and can only applaude them.
Re:Not anything new, really (Score:1)
"If you aren't smart enough to protect your stuff you deserve to have me steal it..."
Sorry, it's freaking *wrong* to steal, whether an item is carelessly placed or not.
I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that the parent post was moderated "insightful" by the
Go ahead, mod me to hell, doesn't make it right...
Re:Not anything new, really (Score:1)
However, we do have the knowledge that this is happening. And unless we have tons of cash to throw around to repurchase items we use on a regular basis (I certainly don't), we still need to look at ways to deter the stealing. One of the methods is to
It's not a purse! (Score:1)
Re:It's not a purse! (Score:2)
Re:It's not a purse! (Score:2)
Re:It's not a purse! (Score:2)
It's a European Carry-all
Prevention (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Prevention (Score:2)
What's wrong with having a Wang [osfn.org]?
I hear all the geek women love them... =)
Open mind, insert DUH. (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Open mind, insert DUH. (Score:1)
Learned somethin' new. (Score:2)
Re:Open mind, insert DUH. (Score:2)
LAN Parties (Score:4, Interesting)
At least for LAN parties the best way to protect your gear is to get to know the people sitting around you. Know who's going to be around your computer and if you see somebody picking up stuff off your neighbor's computer give him shit about it.
Also, bringing a backpack or something is a great idea; at the end of the evening at Quakecon at least you can always toss your stuff into the backpack (stuff like mice and headphones) and go up to your hotel room. It's unlikely that somebody will try to walk out with your massive monitor, but a mouse is easy to slip into a pocket or something.
Most people are considerate and don't take stuff when they themselves have 2-3k of equipment with them too. Bad apples get crushed fast.
Re:LAN Parties (Score:2)
anyways when i used to go to assembly(at one point biggest demoscene event, 4000+ visitors) and take my computer with me, we would usually arrange some turns to keep watch on the hw, and stick smaller pieces into the computers, plastic bags, whatever that keeps it out of plain sight (ok, they could check t
Re:LAN Parties (Score:3, Funny)
What is right? (Score:1)
Ehm... If games help multitask, then these petty thefts wouldn't exist?
Back in my days... (Score:2)
Kids these days are just too rambunctious and don't have any sense of pride and honor!
(and before you start modding me down... 1> Yes, the quarters DID get stolen 2> My generation supposedly had no sense of pride and honor either.)
Maybe I am rich or something (Score:3, Funny)
victim here (Score:2, Informative)
You know (Score:2)
Must.. keep.. focus.. (Score:4, Funny)
They got to view it first hand when her mother stopped by to go shopping and I was in the midst of an EQ binge. Her mother politely tried to make conversation while my wife finished up, and it went something like this:
Mother-in-Law: What are you doing? Is this that computer game?
Me: Yes.... uh... yes it is.
Her: (nods) Why is that woman screaming?
Me: Because I'm killing her.
Her: Oh... what are you doing now?
Me: I'm looting her corpse.
I must be addicted to getting to the office (Score:1, Offtopic)
Simple (Score:1)
Personally, I wouldn't lend my phone to a stranger in the first place. Especially without keeping an eye on it!
Maybe one idea is to have lockers set up at the place, like they do say.. when you go to the pool or something. Course, I don't think it should have to go that far, but if this kind of thing is a problem, it may well have to.
I'd rather see people use a little
Yes, bags will save the day... (Score:2, Funny)
D'oh! (Score:2, Funny)
Phone, PDA, wallet, usually odd pieces of jewellery, chequebook.... in mine there's even sometimes a digital camera. All in a nice handy carry-bag, ready-to-go.
They really need to start putting pockets in women's clothing!
An accurate reference to theft for once! (Score:2, Funny)
Too often, there are items about "theft" which are really about copyright infringement instead.
I've Got way (Score:1)
place valuables down pants (Score:1)