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Online game theft earns real-world conviction
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Henry FordX
Federal Navy Academy
Gallente Federation
#1 - 2012-02-01 16:55:31 UTC
Court upholds conviction of a youth who stole another boy's 'RuneScape' possessions.

The amulet and mask were a 13-year-old boy's virtual possessions in an online fantasy game. In the real world, he was beaten and threatened with a knife to give them up.

The Dutch Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld the theft conviction of a youth who stole another boy's possessions in the popular online fantasy game "RuneScape." Judges ordered the offender to perform 144 hours of community service.

Only a handful of such cases have been heard in the world, and they have reached varying conclusions about the legal status of "virtual goods" — and whether stealing them is real-world theft.

The suspect's lawyer had argued the amulet and mask "were neither tangible nor material and, unlike for example electricity, had no economic value."

But the Netherlands' highest court said the virtual objects had an intrinsic value to the 13-year-old gamer because of "the time and energy he invested" in winning them while playing the game.

The court did not release the offender's name, only his year of birth — 1992. It said he and another youth beat and kicked the boy and threatened him with a knife until he logged into "RuneScape" and dropped the objects in 2007.

One of the thieves, who was also playing the game, was then able to pick up the items, making them his virtual property. Both were convicted by a lower court in 2009, but only one of them had appealed to the Supreme Court.
Lexmana
#2 - 2012-02-01 17:01:58 UTC
It wasn't a theft in-game. It was IRL. Quite a difference.
Tippia
Sunshine and Lollipops
#3 - 2012-02-01 17:09:30 UTC
…or you could have checked page 1 (now barely page 2) whether a thread already exists or not.
Joe SMASH
You Got A Purty Mouth
#4 - 2012-02-01 17:15:22 UTC  |  Edited by: Joe SMASH
Was the person convicted to theft or assault? Because it sounds to me like the only IRL crime was assault and that the person should be arrested for that. The theft of virtual property was just a by-product and maybe not the actual conviction.

EDIT: Tippia, I love you. Have my babies.
Micheal Dietrich
Kings Gambit Black
#5 - 2012-02-01 17:18:37 UTC
Tippia wrote:
…or you could have checked page 1 (now barely page 2) whether a thread already exists or not.


See and Pee has a copy on page 1 as well. Remember folks, search is your friend.

Out of Pod is getting In the Pod - Join in game channel **IG OOPE **
Akrasjel Lanate
Immemorial Coalescence Administration
Immemorial Coalescence
#6 - 2012-02-01 17:47:31 UTC
I blame Dutch Supreme Court...

CEO of Lanate Industries

Citizen of Solitude
rodyas
Tie Fighters Inc
#7 - 2012-02-01 18:45:27 UTC
Hey the brownies those dutch justices eat have a intrinsic value, due to the time and energy they invested in making them. None of us should judge them.

Signature removed for inappropriate language - CCP Eterne
Nova Fox
Novafox Shipyards
#8 - 2012-02-01 18:49:42 UTC
This is real life theat and I know in several countries they would behand you. Particularly the hand you eat and write with and since there is no toilet paper in those countries or running water the tool most commonly used is the other hand.

Dust 514's CPM 1 Iron Wolf Saber Eve mail me about Dust 514 issues.
ElQuirko
University of Caille
Gallente Federation
#9 - 2012-02-01 19:12:13 UTC
Damn, this sounds just like ransoming miners but in RL...

Dodixie > Hek
Henry FordX
Federal Navy Academy
Gallente Federation
#10 - 2012-02-01 20:17:51 UTC
With this ruling by the Dutch courts, does that mean if someone scams you out of some of your stuff, which you spent time and effort collecting, could they be prosecuted for theft? What about if they destroy your ship?
Grath Telkin
Amok.
Goonswarm Federation
#11 - 2012-02-01 20:22:26 UTC
Henry FordX wrote:
With this ruling by the Dutch courts, does that mean if someone scams you out of some of your stuff, which you spent time and effort collecting, could they be prosecuted for theft? What about if they destroy your ship?


No, if you read it, what it means is that if somebody comes to your house, threatens you physically, and forces you to give up in game items, its then a prosecutable offense.

But do go on and believe whatever you want.

Malcanis - Without drone assign, the slowcat doctrine will wither and die.
Abdiel Kavash
Deep Core Mining Inc.
Caldari State
#12 - 2012-02-01 20:26:10 UTC
I am not sure about Runescape, but the CCP EVE Online EULA clearly states that "your" in-game items are not your property, but property of CCP. Therefore no theft can happen, as you do not own the assets being stolen in the first place - regardless of whether they have any value or not.
Ai Shun
#13 - 2012-02-01 20:29:45 UTC
Henry FordX wrote:
With this ruling by the Dutch courts, does that mean if someone scams you out of some of your stuff, which you spent time and effort collecting, could they be prosecuted for theft? What about if they destroy your ship?


Go read the other threads on this. The issue has been clarified.
THE L0CK
Denying You Access
#14 - 2012-02-01 20:31:06 UTC
Sometimes, when I read threads like these, I cry a little on the inside.

Do you smell what the Lock's cooking?
Corina Jarr
en Welle Shipping Inc.
#15 - 2012-02-01 20:33:01 UTC
Abdiel Kavash wrote:
I am not sure about Runescape, but the CCP EVE Online EULA clearly states that "your" in-game items are not your property, but property of CCP. Therefore no theft can happen, as you do not own the assets being stolen in the first place - regardless of whether they have any value or not.

While they are owned by CCP, they are on loan of sorts to us. Therefor it still would be theft.


But, if something like this were to happen to me, I would prefer the assault with a deadly weapon charge.
Sasha Khaine
Ministry of War
Amarr Empire
#16 - 2012-02-01 21:02:04 UTC
I hope when I have amassed so much wealth & power in game I have a sort of Scarface showdown. With people busting in to my house demanding my in game assets... and I will reply

"say hello, to my little friend!!"

Then send my midget friend to attack!!!!!

[center]"The entire British empire was built on cups of tea... and if you think I'm going to war without one mate. You're mistaken."[/center]
Skydell
Bad Girl Posse
#17 - 2012-02-01 22:22:29 UTC
This could never happen in EVE.

--

"Two would be thieves broke in to a house and proceeded to the basement where they beat a 40 year old man with a really long stick untill he logged in to EVE and contracted his Machariel to them.

The mans mother found him crying in the closet when she got home. It took him weeks of scamming in Jita to get that machariel. It meant alot to him."

Maybe that.. That could happen.
Serene Repose
#18 - 2012-02-01 22:25:23 UTC  |  Edited by: Serene Repose
Didn't we already do this?

Done To Death Dutch Dealy

We must accommodate the idiocracy.