'No Pokemon And Driving': Coronado Police

Coronado, CA — With the Pokémon Go craze sweeping the country, Coronado police urged its residents and visitors to stay safe while playing, which includes putting down the Pokémon while driving.

"Police are encouraging players to be safe, and warning of the potential dangers that come with playing," the Coronado Police Department said in a statement.

The call for safety Thursday comes after a 48-hour period during which Coronado police said they saw an increase in calls for service about "suspicious activity, cars stopped in the middle of the street and groups of people gathering in unusual places."

For those who haven’t caught Pokémon fever, the game works by having players move through the real world. As they do, their smartphones vibrate to let them know when a Pokémon is near. Players then throw a PokéBall to catch it and add it to their PokéDex. The game uses a smartphone’s GPS and camera to turn the real world into a gigantic scavenger hunt.

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Millions of downloads, gameplayers and groups are suddenly out and on the go to find mysterious creatures seen only on their mobile devices.

"Last night [Wednesday], an officer watched a group of young adults step off the Orange Avenue median into the lanes of traffic without looking up from their phones; contacted a small group of teens in the empty lot of the Ferry Landing in the middle of the night; and we had to clear a city park of Pokémon players at 2 a.m."

Police reminded players to:

• Be aware of their surroundings
• Do not drive and play
• Stay in groups
• Be careful not to trespass on private property
• Be mindful of public park hours
• Do not go to secluded areas or neighborhoods they are not familiar with
• Remember to set their privacy settings.
• Stay safe and have fun out there!