GTA IV inspired crimes – is PS3 and Xbox title an easy excuse?
It happens every time a violent video game is released, and Grand Theft Auto 4 is no exception – the game is being blamed for crimes. But it’s not the media this time around, digging up stories of criminals with loose connections to video gaming, but the culprits themselves who are blaming the PS3 and Xbox 360 title for their misdemeanours.
Last week saw a taxi driver killed with a knife in Thailand. This is obviously no rare occurrence these days, with knife crime massively on the rise. However, the difference here was that the perpetrator of the crime, Polwat Chino, an 18-year-old high school student, blamed Grand Theft Auto 4.
According to 1Up, he told police that he “wanted to find out if it was as easy in real life to rob a taxi as it was in the game.” The police have said that there is no indication of mental illness, and his parents described him as “polite and diligent”. Sounds like a lovely guy to me.
Immediately after the crime was reported, the game was ordered off the shelves of video game stores around the country. And since then, the knee jerk reaction has got worse. According to Game Politics, the Thai Ministry of Health has now issued a list of 10 violent video games to avoid at all costs. What’s bizarre is that the list contains exactly the same titles in exactly the same order as Detroit Prosecutor Kym Worthy’s list of games she wanted banned due to them being responsible for the crime in the city.
And it’s not just in Thailand where GTA IV is being blamed for crimes, as WSBTV reports how three teenagers were arrested in Milton, Atlanta, after a spate of car bombings were reported. The youths used Molotov cocktails to start six vehicle fires in the space of four hours. The 15 and 16 year olds told authorities that they learned how to do it from playing Grand Theft Auto IV.
It’s not exactly new for videogames to be blamed for crimes such as this, but I do wonder if the criminals are now latching on to the fact that blaming a games such as Grand Theft Auto IV is an easy excuse. The teenagers in Milton may have got the idea from GTA IV but I bet they looked online for more detailed instructions. As for the murder in Thailand, as tragic as it is, the kid was clearly deranged to even consider doing something of that nature.
Games don’t cause crime but they do now seem to be offering criminals an easy get out clause. It wasn’t me officer, it was that sterile little box underneath my TV.
Related Posts:
20 Responses to “GTA IV inspired crimes – is PS3 and Xbox title an easy excuse?”
Leave a Reply:
You must be logged in to post a comment. Don't have an account? Register today!
August 10th, 2008
I think when discussing the adverse effects computer games have on people these days, it’s worth noting that before the advent of computer games, there was of course no violence/violent crimes in the world.
And am I alone in finding it odd that a computer game can sell over 10 million copies, being played by possibly twice that number of people, and yet only a few people succumb to its temptations? I can’t believe anyone could believe this bollocks.
August 10th, 2008
I agree, Addam, and to be honest, anyone who is capable of commiting a violent crime, would be so regardless of whether they played GTA or not. I suppose it’s more the matter of when they would of commited a crime, as opposed to if they would have commited a crime.
August 10th, 2008
kevin sucks dinosaur balls
August 10th, 2008
They blame GTA because they think is gonna help their stupidity. This are gaming haters games shouldn’t be blame for other peoples dumb idiotic useless pathetic mind less mistakes.
August 10th, 2008
i agree with rob, they will do these crimes even if they do not play violent games. gta4 might just triggered it sooner. =p
doesn’t gta4 have a mature rating or sth? why does their parents or vendors let kids buy those kind of games anyway? it is obvious that these violent games that is based on real life is only for adults.
August 10th, 2008
I think the bottom line is some people can handel it and some cannot. So for those who cannot handel it how do you keep a game like this form getting into their hands? Even though I like to play games like this I’m not going to hide behind that fact that yes violent video games can cause a problem and affect the minds of youth. The bottom line is GTA4 did have a negative effect on these kids and when asked why, GTA was the reason. Regardless if any thing else could have triggered them, GTA was the reason this time around it and it is because of the nature of the game to spark such thoughts and emotion.
August 10th, 2008
@CAD
This has nothing to do with GTA4. These kids are finding something easy to blame to try and get out of trouble. I’ve heard all the excuses from movies, TV, music and now to video games. To quote Chris Rock “What ever happened to just being plain crazy.”
August 10th, 2008
i am just wondering, does rockstar get bothered by this? i mean can they sleep well knowing that their game triggers some people to do crimes?
August 10th, 2008
That’s bullshit. I’ve been shooting prostitutes in the face with my shotgun since way before the game came out.
August 10th, 2008
@mgs fanboy
i don’t know… but can Kojima sleep knowing my plans of making my own octocam and seeing if i can sneak up on people before slitting their throats???
August 11th, 2008
i swear to god, I blew up my school because bomberman told me so!
August 11th, 2008
I’m going to dress up as an italian plumber and stamp on turtles.
August 11th, 2008
hahaha Royzy
August 11th, 2008
Meh, forget video games. I’m going to go around catching all the criminals of the world because I see it done on TV, and in comics and movies.
We’d best ban all forms of media before it gets out of hand, eh?
Heaven help us when these people grow up a bit more and realize there are NEWS outlets that show REAL crimes.
August 11th, 2008
this is nothing new.
if they didn’t have the game to blame , they would blame the full moon, not being hugged enough as a kid, or Madonna’s last CD …. (the last one being valid)..
oh well….
August 11th, 2008
Madonna is still alive and making music? I need to go reak some havic. It’s not right that Isaac Hayes dies and Madonna can still put out music. Its just not right!
August 11th, 2008
This reminds me of the guy who tried to assassinate Ronald Reagan and claimed he was doing it to make Jodie Foster fall in love with him. We have a word for these types of people: “insane.” And insane people can invent their own reasons for their insane actions and, to them, it will all make sense. Where I get lost is how they manage to convince lawyers and politicians to believe their insane reasoning.
-Arvis
August 11th, 2008
Arvis- you need to take another look at lawyers and politicians. They are not far from insane themselves!
August 11th, 2008
Touche, Wylie.
-Arvis
August 12th, 2008
Jodie Foster is a lesbian, she’s into munching carpet, not ding dongs! That guy truly must have been insane.