Pokemon Go Players Robbed at Gunpoint: Baltimore County Police

Parkville, MD — The Baltimore County Police Department has offered safety tips for those playing Pokemon Go after a recent robbery was reported by people playing the game in Parkville.

A group was inside a home playing the virtual reality game, which is accessed through an app that uses GPS, when they were directed to Jasper Lane in Parkville near the entrance to Belmont Park, police reported.

When the Pokemon Go players arrived, police said they were confronted by two people, including one with a handgun who demanded their belongings.

The suspects allegedly robbed the victims of their cell phones and cash just after midnight on Thursday, July 7.

Investigators are still working to determine whether the group was targeted because they were playing the game, police reported on Tuesday, July 12.

In the meantime, officials are asking people to be careful. The Baltimore County Police Department offered these tips for playing Pokemon Go safely:

• Be aware of your surroundings while playing the game.
• Don't go anywhere alone; always bring a friend.
• Refrain from playing the game while driving.
• Stop if the game takes you to an area that makes you uncomfortable.
• Stay in well-lit locations at night, and do not go to any secluded spaces.

"Playing the game does not grant the participant the right to enter onto private property," police noted. "Participants should obtain the permission of the property owner before entering onto private property."

What Is Pokemon Go?

Wildly popular, Pokemon Go has reportedly been downloaded by 5 percent of Android users since its July 6 release, and there have been reports around the country of people being robbed or injured while playing.

Based on Nintendo's popular Pokemon franchise, the app uses a phone's location settings to create a semi-virtual world where the user is surrounded by Pokemon.

When players are near a Pokemon, their smartphones will vibrate, and the goal is to "catch" the character by throwing a PokeBall and adding it to their PokeDex.

The game uses a phone's GPS and camera to turn the real world into a gigantic scavenger hunt.

Developers have added PokeStops — from libraries to parks to churches — in each town. Through an in-game item called a “Lure Module,” Pokemon is attracted to a PokeStop for 30 minutes, visible to everyone nearby.

Around the country there have been reports of suspects using the Pokemon Go game to find their victims through the PokeStops.

In light of this viral trend, police departments are urging Pokemon Go players to be careful, particularly urging people to look both ways when crossing a street.

Information Wanted in Baltimore County Pokestop Robbery

In Baltimore County, officials are asking for tips related to the July 7 robbery in Parkville.

Anyone with information about the robbery near Belmont Park is asked to contact the Baltimore County Police Department at 410-307-2020 or Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7LOCKUP.

Tips to the Metro Crime Stoppers hotline leading to the arrest and/or indictment of a suspect for a felony crime may qualify for a cash reward of up to $2,000. Metro Crime Stoppers is also available by texting "MCS" plus the tip to CRIMES (274637) or by submitting an anonymous tip online.

Patch Editor Deb Belt contributed to this article.

Still from YouTube video demo of Pokemon Go by Jouer Video Channel.