Playing ‘Pokémon GO’ Resulted In Accidental Illegal Border Crossing
Whether you are in on the Pokémon craze or not, nearly everyone has heard of the new smartphone app and game – Pokémon GO. As this crazed smartphone application continues to make media headlines, not all of the headlines are positive. In fact, TheHuffington Post reports two Canadian teenagers were detained by U.S. Border Patrol authorities for illegal border crossing while playing Pokémon GO. Apparently, the two Canadian teenagers were so enthralled by the smartphone application they were playing they failed to notice they had crossed over the Canadian and United States border.
It was on Thursday that the U.S. Border Patrol authorities detained the two teenage Canadian Pokémon GO players for illegal border crossing. According to Comic Book, the two were released after their mother – who was nearby on the Canadian side of the border – was contacted regarding the teenagers’ illegal border crossing while playing Pokémon GO. The U.S. Border Patrol made the decision not to release the name of the two Pokémon GO playing teenagers who illegally crossed the border. They also decided not to confirm how far the teenagers were able to venture into the United States while playing Pokémon GO.
It was just last weekend that Pokémon GO was released in Canada for these Canadian teenagers – and all other Canadian Pokémon GO players to enjoy. This has resulted in Canadian Pokémon GO players desperately trying to catch up to where the Americans are in the game. According to Comic Book, American Pokémon GO players have been playing the game for a little more than a week before the Canadian Pokémon GO players finally got access to the game.
Two Canadian teenagers accidentally crossed the U.S. border while playing Pokemon Go: https://t.co/ieD7wchr1h pic.twitter.com/Pu19t3xOGS
— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) July 23, 2016
For those who are keeping up with Pokémon GO in the media headlines, this is not the first time players have found themselves in an odd or even dangerous situation. In fact, Comic Book reports, as of last Saturday, Pokémon GO players have discovered not one, not two, but three dead bodies while playing the game.
For example, there were three girls from San Diego who were playing Pokémon GO while they were hiking in the Marian Bear Memorial Park when they stumbled upon a dead body. One of the three girls who stumbled upon the body described the experience to media outlets.
“I froze, stopped in my tracks, looked my friend and my sister in the face and said, ‘I think I just found a dead body. I looked down and I saw the legs, the bones of a dead body with no feet and no ankles and it looked like they had been chewed.”
Fortunately, the police in this situation did not believe the Pokémon GO players stumbled upon a murder victim. They believe the man was homeless, died of natural causes, and was being feasted on by the wildlife in the area.
Police all around the United States have been urging Pokémon GO players to be careful and remain alert while playing this new and popular game. Police have also urged parents to watch their younger children while playing the game and have a discussion with older children about how to play the game safely. There is certainly nothing wrong with enjoying the game. However, it is vital to remain alert while playing the game and not do anything that would endanger you. You should always be aware of your surroundings while playing Pokémon GO.
What do you think about these Pokémon GO teenagers who accidentally illegally crossed the border while playing the game?
[Photo by Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images]
