Pokémon Go has become an international sensation, and it hasn't taken long for crime to follow after its instant success. It seems a real life Team Rocket have been targeting Pokémon Go players and robbing them at gunpoint.
Police arrested four suspects in O'Fallon, Missouri, and wrote this on their Facebook page:
"This morning at approximately 2 AM we responded to the report of an armed robbery near the intersection of Highway K and Feise Road. We were able to locate four suspects occupying a black BMW a short time later and recover a handgun. These suspects are suspected of multiple armed robberies both in St. Louis and St. Charles Counties. It is believed these suspects targeted their victims through the Pokemon Go smartphone application."
The statement explains that the robbers used the Pokéstop beacon feature to lure in more players. Police have also said:
"We arrested all four suspects and recovered a handgun. We felt it important for our residents' safety to share what we did know and remind them to be cognizant of their safety and surroundings."
With Pokémon Go proving so popular, this story adds to the many surreal situations emerging because of the mobile AR app, such as the girl who found a dead body while playing.