• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Tech

Wildly Popular Pokemon Go Leads to Robberies, Injuries, and a Body

By
Reuters
Reuters
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Reuters
Reuters
Down Arrow Button Icon
July 12, 2016, 8:41 AM ET

New mobile game Pokemon Go has become an overnight sensation with U.S. fans but also played a role in armed robberies in Missouri, the discovery of a body in Wyoming, and minor injuries to fans distracted by the app, officials and news media reported Monday.

The “augmented reality” game based on the 1990s Japanese franchise surged to the top of Apple’s (AAPL) app charts over the weekend. Gamers use their mobile devices to find and capture virtual Pokemon characters such as cuddly yellow Pikachu at various real-life locations.

Five days after its release, the game now is on more Android phones than dating app Tinder, and its rate of daily active users was neck and neck with social network Twitter (TWTR), according to analytics firm SimilarWeb.

Highlighting a dark side to its popularity, the game was used by four teens in Missouri to lure nearly a dozen victims into armed robberies, police and media reports said.

Police warned players to be vigilant when using smartphones and other mobile devices to search for characters in the game.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

“When you’re involved in a game and not paying attention to what’s going on around you, your situational awareness can go down,” Greensboro, N.C., police officer Ben Wingfield told local television.

Developed by Pokemon Company International, Niantic, and Nintendo, the game uses the GPS mapping and camera systems on players’ devices.

“We encourage all people playing Pokemon Go to be aware of their surroundings and to play with friends when going to new or unfamiliar places,” Pokemon Company International and Niantic said in an emailed statement.

Police in O’Fallon, a suburb of St. Louis, said they arrested the four teens Sunday after a robbery victim called police from a convenience store.

“Using the geolocation feature of the Pokemon Go app, the robbers were able to anticipate the location and level of seclusion of unwitting victims,” O’Fallon police Sgt. Bill Stringer said in a release.

Social media buzzed with reports of players who suffered minor injuries from tripping and falling while glued to their cell phones and minor incidents while driving and looking for Pokemon.

“I catch myself almost walking into things, so I’ve kind of started playing a little bit less in the street,” said Henry Mendez, 32, a parking valet from Los Angeles.

The game was the most downloaded free app on Apple’s app store while Nintendo’s shares surged nearly 25% for their biggest daily gains in history after Pokemon Go’s takeoff.

Shayla Wiggins, 19, was searching for a water-based Pokemon character near Riverton, Wy., when she discovered a body near a bridge, where a man is thought to have drowned in shallow water, according to media reports.

“I probably would have never went down there if it weren’t for this game,” Wiggins told CNN.

About the Author
By Reuters
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

saunders
CommentaryLeadership
Bausch & Lomb CEO: Standing still is the new falling behind
By Brent SaundersFebruary 11, 2026
1 hour ago
shumer
CommentaryEntrepreneurship
Something big is happening in AI — and most people will be blindsided
By Matt ShumerFebruary 11, 2026
1 hour ago
Headshot of Jad Tarifi
SuccessEducation
Ex-Google exec says degrees in law and medicine are a waste of time because they take so long to complete that AI will catch up by graduation
By Preston ForeFebruary 11, 2026
2 hours ago
man smiles to camera
CryptoCryptocurrency
Levl raises $7 million to provide stablecoin infrastructure for fintechs
By Carlos GarciaFebruary 11, 2026
3 hours ago
Melissa Bridgeford with her arms crossed
AIE-commerce
Exclusive: Marc Lore and Melissa Bridgeford’s Wizard emerges from stealth
By Lily Mae LazarusFebruary 11, 2026
3 hours ago
NewslettersTerm Sheet
Two neurosurgeons just raised $25 million betting brain cells can (someday) outcompute silicon
By Allie GarfinkleFebruary 11, 2026
3 hours ago

Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Economy
America borrowed $43.5 billion a week in the first four months of the fiscal year, with debt interest on track to be over $1 trillion for 2026
By Eleanor PringleFebruary 10, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
It turns out that Joe Biden really did crush Americans' dreams for the future. Just look at how the vibe changed 5 years ago
By Jake AngeloFebruary 10, 2026
19 hours ago
placeholder alt text
C-Suite
Meet Jody Allen, the billionaire owner of the Seattle Seahawks, who plans to sell the team and donate the proceeds to charity
By Jake AngeloFebruary 9, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
AI
As billionaires bail, Mark Zuckerberg doubles down on California with $50 million donation
By Sydney LakeFebruary 9, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
China might be beginning to back away from U.S. debt as investors get nervous about overexposure to American assets
By Eleanor PringleFebruary 9, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Super Bowl champion Sam Darnold says his plumber dad played with him every day after work, no matter how tough his day was—and that taught him resilience
By Emma BurleighFebruary 9, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.