Teens convicted in RuneScape heist.

[Shroomsday]

AMSTERDAM - A Dutch court has convicted two youths of theft for stealing virtual items in a computer game and sentenced them to 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."

The Leeuwarden District Court says the culprits, 15 and 14 years old, coerced a 13-year-old boy into transferring a "virtual amulet and a virtual mask" from the online adventure game RuneScape to their game accounts.

"These virtual goods are goods (under Dutch law), so this is theft," the court said in a summary of its ruling.

Identities of the minors were not released.

The 15-year-old was sentenced to 200 hours service, and the 14-year-old to 160 hours.

- AP

Source: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10538822


Think twice before you scam.

 

[LegitNamesCo]

wow...

xD

damn scammers.

 

[Clank]

Yeh, thats my countries herald - saw it there this morning.

 

[†Tysonâ€Â]

Thats crazy, Australia wouldn't do that lol.

 

[FlubbyWubs]

This is ridiculous. America would laugh at this. Our justice system would tell the kid to fuck off and that its his fault for trusting these two nitwits.

Lol, I must say though it is funny..

 

[LegitNamesCo]

This is ridiculous. America would laugh at this. Our justice system would tell the kid to fuck off and that its his fault for trusting these two nitwits.

Lol, I must say though it is funny..

If over $20 USD was involved, the person could legally take it to court, if he has substantial proof.

 

[Palencia1]

Hilarious

 

[FlubbyWubs]

If over $20 USD was involved, the person could legally take it to court, if he has substantial proof.

However this was runescape items, meaning they have no real value. However if this was about membership pins, and they got stolen, then yes, if it was concerning a large amount of money they could be charged with theft. But sadly, this kid was a shmuck.

 

[jd 365]

Lol, this is about this funniest thing ever, dont we all wish we lived in australia especilly since we are a community all about this kinda crap

 

[ItsNate]

Wow, well that is going to set precidents throughout that country, pitty it was only done over there and not in US or Australia , otherwise they can adopt the same case studies and use them for future cases.

 

[d 7 x]

Not gunna lie, that's pretty harsh.

 

[LegitNamesCo]

Not gunna lie, that's pretty harsh.

Bet he won't do it again.

Wow, well that is going to set precidents throughout that country, pitty it was only done over there and not in US or Australia , otherwise they can adopt the same case studies and use them for future cases.

I know, right?
>_>

 

[ironblade87]

I'm honestly amazed that virtual goods are protected under any law. From my stand point, it's a game. If you win you win, if you lose you lose. The law should not come into this kind of thing unless real life cash is involved, and of course with runescape, it is not allowed to buy and sell goods in game for out of game items, so even then the law shouldn't hold up.

Go Viper.

 

[dam prayer noobs]

holy shit fuckers got owned. 200 hours community service? omfg thats a little excessive. i remember doing 75 hrs community service in one summer and that was hell.

 

[onesian]

omg thats so stupid.

 

[Macroman]

All I can say is I wish that law existed in all countries. Then we wouldn't have such a scammer problem.

 

[Christmas Crackers]

Well that's how the dutch do it..

 

[aviansie ftw]

I lol'd, amazing the courts even cares about that.

 

[BiftX]

holy shit, hope they never catch me out , only jokes lol but christ id cry if that happend to me lol

 

[The_Crypt_of_Fear]

That's pretty strange. I really didn't know you could be convicted for scamming via Runescape. ._.