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More robberies plague PS3 launch

Ohio EB Games raided by armed assailants who make off with five consoles; Connecticut man beaten and robbed of his system while other customers turned a blind eye.

Reports of PlayStation 3 launch-related crimes are mounting, and two more robberies related to the debut of Sony's next-generation console have surfaced.

Two men armed with handguns stole five PS3s from an Ohio EB Games store, Englewood Police Department Detective Alan Meade confirmed for GameSpot today. Meade said the two men entered the store around 9 p.m. Thursday night as a pair of employees were closing up and ordered them into the back storeroom. The robbers took the systems and left the store without incident.

Meade said that there were no other reports of PS3-related crimes in Englewood but that the incident has prompted the department to make preparations to prevent a repeat of the incident when the Nintendo Wii goes on sale this Sunday.

"We will certainly be keeping an extra watch on the places that will be selling these systems," Meade said.

A second incident emerged from Connecticut, where a man waiting in line for the PS3 was shot and hospitalized last night by two men armed with guns. This morning, a man leaving the Buckland Hills Mall in Manchester, Connecticut, was mugged by multiple assailants in the parking lot, according to Manchester Police Department Sergeant Chris Davis.

Davis said one of the criminals had been in the mall's EB Games when the victim purchased his PS3, then called his friends in the parking lot, who approached the man on his way to his car. In all, "four or five" men pushed the victim to the ground, grabbed the system, and fled in a nearby car. However, Davis said one of the suspects was pushed out of the car as it was leaving the scene; police apprehended him and are working to catch the rest.

An account of the incident on Sony Computer Entertainment America's official message boards purportedly posted by the victim makes a plea for someone with an extra system to offer it to him at a reasonable price.

514 Comments

  • callumrussell

    Posted Apr 30, 2008 4:22 am GMT

    Janpieterzun ur are one pathetic **** hole if u think that's funny

  • webdoom

    Posted Mar 20, 2007 11:35 am GMT

    Davis said one of the suspects was pushed out of the car as it was leaving the scene; LOL good friends that guy has

  • toby_mac_freek

    Posted Dec 23, 2006 9:30 pm GMT

    :O THATS AWEFUL!

    Janpieterzun your a friggen dumbass! Someone was MUGGED, and then had their console which he PAID for STOLEN! AFTER being beaten up! Have compassion you dumbf***

  • _Sam_

    Posted Nov 26, 2006 10:50 am GMT

    that's terrible!

  • wenbin09

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 5:56 am GMT

    this is sick!!!

  • dragkill

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 3:48 pm GMT

    "Money make ppl desparate"

    Apparently to some people on here think being robbed if funny. >_>
    I've had some things stolen before (not robbed) but at the same time I know how it feels to have something taken away from you, and you have no idea where it's at.

  • Janpieterzun

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 3:25 pm GMT

    HAHAHA oh god im dying of laughter.

  • kamicolo

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 2:47 pm GMT

    This is terrible. Being from OH, I apologize for their craziness. This reminds me of back in the 90s when ppl were robbing for Air Jordans and some special coat. It was big in Cleveland, Cincy, and Columbus. Money make ppl desparate...so sad is our capitalist society

  • rc_guy24

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 1:35 pm GMT

    I was Robbed by three men dressed up in halloween masks with knives In South Bend, Indiana and I called Sony and they told me To just call the police and that they wont do anything about it . So im really P)&&^%

  • mystikone

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 9:58 am GMT

    Sony comp are douches what the hell give the guy a system wankers

  • eggsiboss

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 9:33 am GMT

    dude theres some right nasty mo foes around aint there? i mean taxing them offf people who just bought em sounds like it should make it into the next gta game, imagine that, if you run over the entire que of people you get a bonus!
    Seriously though only 5 at gunpoint, you guys are softcore and dumb, why not try for the distribution warehouse, jeez what next taking candy from babies!

  • ZombieDr

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 9:18 am GMT

    holy crap that sucks I'm beginning to think that the PS3's more trouble than it's worth. This makes me very thankful I live in North Dakota and there's not much crime.
    God may you help these people to stay safe while they buy their game systems over the next year or so that people will be buying it.

  • defjam33

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 9:17 am GMT

    me thinks you can sue the mall for having inadequate security.

    just my opinion
    '

  • Piaras007

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 8:51 am GMT

    Evil > Good in this world

  • chrisdojo

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 6:55 am GMT

    that's crazy. maybe the fools were practicing by playing GTA???

  • irongiant14

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 6:18 am GMT

    It's true! Video games do cause violence!

  • Sanguis_Malus

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 5:59 am GMT

    The people committing these crimes are scum !

  • Solid_RAG

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 4:00 am GMT

    anyone wanna walk up to Sony headquaters and beat some people stupid for release 400,000 units NA alone. Also slap some sence in to them causing all this choas

  • mkrunescaper

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 3:02 am GMT

    Lol, I love how the Nintendo Fans act all "O man, when I get my wii I'll be prepared!" Tough, Nobody would do jack over that thing, Demand isn't nearly as high - same with price.

  • Shadow_of_Zar

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 12:30 am GMT

    heh when it launches in australia im gonna hire security guards for my protection

  • Xxorbitang3lxX

    Posted Nov 19, 2006 10:40 pm GMT

    poor guy
    id sell it to him if I had one to begin with

  • RiceCake

    Posted Nov 19, 2006 9:44 pm GMT

    sickening

  • PoopDog1027

    Posted Nov 19, 2006 9:29 pm GMT

    If I was in that line, I would've also brought a gun or knife or something to protect me. People can do some crazy things!

  • DarkR34p3r

    Posted Nov 19, 2006 9:13 pm GMT

    people should bring knives, guns, or any other form of protection when buying a new expensive item, such like a ps3.

    if i got one and i had a gun and got mugged. i would simply blow one guys head open and send the others running.

    it would be a different story though if they were holding guns though...
    but thats how cruel this world is...

    so buy your new game consoles a few weeks or months AFTER its release date. it's safer that way.

  • Solidesnake2004

    Posted Nov 19, 2006 8:54 pm GMT

    akuya32
    Sad, but this is the world we live in. People get shot and die over shoes, jackets and now the Playstation 3. This is nothing new in the world we live in. Was there any problems last year when the 360 was launched? I can't remember. My Respnse: Actually yes....a woman held at gunpoint by two men....in front of her own house...why becasue she bought the premium system 360 for her 9 year old son...FOR CHRISTMAS!!!...i believed it happened here in Texas. if i find someting..ill post it.

  • bminns

    Posted Nov 19, 2006 8:27 pm GMT

    criminals are stupid i hate them

  • wenbin09

    Posted Nov 19, 2006 7:29 pm GMT

    this is sad.. why can't they just earn their own set?

  • akuya32

    Posted Nov 19, 2006 6:59 pm GMT

    Sad, but this is the world we live in. People get shot and die over shoes, jackets and now the Playstation 3. This is nothing new in the world we live in. Was there any problems last year when the 360 was launched? I can't remember.

  • powerslave88

    Posted Nov 19, 2006 5:06 pm GMT

    "the victim makes a plea for someone with an extra system to offer it to him at a reasonable price. " f*** you im not the one who got shot

  • King_Dodongo

    Posted Nov 19, 2006 4:57 pm GMT

    Imperial_Colone
    "No one robbed over wii, why? Because it sucked and wasnt worth it "

    No, it was because they are more civiliced people (not like you)

  • Imperial_Colone

    Posted Nov 19, 2006 4:53 pm GMT

    No one robbed over wii, why? Because it sucked and wasnt worth it

  • ZabuzaR

    Posted Nov 19, 2006 4:41 pm GMT

    Yup... Those people need to get a life.

  • laobayu

    Posted Nov 19, 2006 3:52 pm GMT

    I think all console should have 3 launch dates for each system.. so people will expect if they miss the first launch they still have a chance.... Plus gamers and retailer will know what to expect later on when it come to it.. I heard someone telling me someone bought a PS3 for 7000 and now 15000 That just stupid.... You can buy a powerful PC that will out do all system....

  • Vlad_an_impaler

    Posted Nov 19, 2006 3:27 pm GMT

    @Irve
    [QUOTE] hey people are being robbed blind on eBay over the Ps3 so why not on the streets. That said anyone willing to pay >$2000 for a cosole deserves to be parted with their money {/QUOTE]

    You sir are are the same criminalistic mind that litters our world.

  • DaSlyOne

    Posted Nov 19, 2006 2:27 pm GMT

    I think Sony planned on releasing only 400,000 units on opening day! You can't buy better coverage than this! What better way to say "HEY! People will kill (literally) for our console" God I love this world!

  • King_Dodongo

    Posted Nov 19, 2006 1:46 pm GMT

    PS3 FANBOY ATTACK! RUN AWAY!

  • Irve

    Posted Nov 19, 2006 9:58 am GMT

    hey people are being robbed blind on eBay over the Ps3 so why not on the streets. That said anyone willing to pay >$2000 for a cosole deserves to be parted with their money

  • cjcr_alexandru

    Posted Nov 19, 2006 9:50 am GMT

    Now a PS3 is selling for $15,000. So that was expected.

  • Germoo

    Posted Nov 19, 2006 8:52 am GMT

    Tylowill how about to stick to the subject. Ps3's being jacked.

  • scaperat1

    Posted Nov 19, 2006 8:27 am GMT

    This is nothing new!! Crazy S*** like this happens all the time. It's just certain people aren't used to hearing about or seeing things like this. It probably happened with the PS2. Maybe not on launch day, but it happens.

  • tylowill

    Posted Nov 19, 2006 7:52 am GMT

    I am not a console fan, I play blazing fast beautiful PCs. (we have been hi-def for a long time) But my wife likes the PS2, but guess what? The DVD player is low quality garbage. As a profession i work with video codecs, and all DVD players decipher file types. AKA CODEC deCODER.
    The old Sony player was slow at processing the Code to fit the analog signal, and not much better at the suedo-digital s-video signal. Even now after many changes to the hardware, there is still some nasty artifacting in the picture that you don't even see on commercial DVD players. SOOOOO...I have been hearing a lot of commotion about the blu-ray player on the PS3, but i still have my doubts. It took sony 4 times to get the DVD Codec bearable, a technology already established when PS2 launched. So i will choose not to trust them with this new technology. The PS3 is a computer, that is it. I have looked at the specs they are dumping into it, and I am super skeptical about Cooling. Computer run hot, especially Hard Drives, Memory, and Processors. When not cool you get a crash (cars do it to!) and it locks up. so the games look good the Blu-ray looks nice, but i need logistics people.

  • lowgroove

    Posted Nov 19, 2006 6:11 am GMT

    yogidonnie, great response regarding the "national stereotyping". :thumbsup:

    The only thing I'd say beyond that is, it's probably just as well the victim wasn't armed. While it is "believed" the perps weren't armed, that's not confirmed or certain. They could have been armed with knives, or anything.

    Even if they weren't armed, it's possible the victim of this crime could have also become a subject of interest with local authorites if deemed he acted with unjustifiable force. There are safeguards people can take which do not have to involve arming ourselves. Like; having a friend or friends go with us, for instance. Or a family member. It's likely the suspect inside the store was looking for two things: someone purchasing a PS3 and that 'someone' being, in fact, alone.

    Chances are, had the victim NOT been alone, they would have passed him right by and opted for someone who was. We take for granted just going to the store is a fairly mundane task; safe and secure. It's understandable that most don't even consider what *could* happen. But in circumstances like launches of hard-to-come-by game systems where reports of extremely low supply/high demand and reports of muggings are circulating (and know to happen from past launches), it's probably wise to not go alone. At least that might be a deterrent.

  • spectyre

    Posted Nov 19, 2006 6:05 am GMT

    Yeah!!! America needs to ban guns. After all, it worked so well on drugs.

  • rouguesquadron

    Posted Nov 19, 2006 5:50 am GMT

    Somthing tells me that we won't see any problems like this with the launch of the Nintendo Wii. Unlike Sony, Nintendo has enough merchandise out there to meet the initial demand, so robberies, muggins, and shooting aren't going to be happening with the Wii.

  • vj226966

    Posted Nov 19, 2006 4:07 am GMT

    I would just like to know the average age of people making comments.Im a 34 year old man.Does anyone rember the Cabbage Patch?Grown women were fighting inline over a doll!Times are changing.I personly think the ps3 is worth the 600.00.I own 1 50 inch Sony lcd with a 700 watt onkyo 7.1 channel reciver.The ps3 is perfect for it.So what if launch titles sucked.You have a blue ray player.Great addition to my media center.Then when all the good games come out my system is complete.Ill have to wait till March or April so what.Do half of these people have a HDTV? Playstation has 2 game consels out.Sony must be doing something right.I only see Xbox 360. Ps3 Ps2 PsP.Sony rules but needs to think about what there going to do for there loyal customers.Just make it possible for poeple who want the game able 2 get it. SONY ALL THE WAY!

  • rooster52

    Posted Nov 19, 2006 3:41 am GMT

    Yeah, I'm afraid I have to agree with our American friend. I'm sure far worse things are going to happen when we finally see the PS3 released here! You cant even take a walk through any British city after the sun sets without being threatened with a knife, or gun, and guns ARE banned here! (although we don't riot at football games as much as the Dutch/Germans/Italians/Polish/Turkish ect.)

    And at least in the States they have a justice system and, if caught, the perpetrators will probably be punished, unlike here where they would be told they can keep the PS3 they stole if they say sorry and promise not to sue the copper who arrested him!!!!!

    Sorry, rant over! I guess I'm just a bit p****d off that we've got to wait till march for a PS3!!!

  • yogidonnie

    Posted Nov 19, 2006 3:12 am GMT

    tawagivercetti said "Americans take the cake for stupidity. You bloody pshycos. Heres a tip ban guns."

    Oh yeah the rest of the world is just sooo much better than us nasty Americans. We don't riot a soccer games like in England, have unemployment / student riots like in France, a very large and very violent racist skin head movement like in Germany, the genocide like in all of Africa, and all the kidnappings like in South America and the Middle East.

    There are crooks and thugs all over this Earth. You need to look at your views and realize, you just judged 300 million people on the actions of less than 50-100 people. Come On! Also, about those cowards that robbed the guy of his Playstation, no guns where reported in that story. How would banning guns have done anything? And if the guy had been packing, those creeps would have left him alone and if they didn't, he would of had to do us all a favor and remove them from the gene pool.

  • Supreme_Fantasy

    Posted Nov 19, 2006 3:01 am GMT

    Sony should hire more security guard that day..

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