Thu, Oct 23, 2008 | 11:30 BST
Dutch court sentences teens to community service for virtual theft
Yahoo is reporting that a Dutch court has convicted two teenagers to 360 hours of community service after they stole a “virtual amulet and a virtual mask” and promptly added the items to their accounts in RuneScape.
“These virtual goods are goods (under Dutch law), so this is theft,” said the court after it had learned that the youths in question beat and kicked the victim, and threatened him with a knife. Nice.
That’ll learn ‘em. Thanks, Eurogamer.
By Mike Bowden
5 
Posted in: Europe, Legalities
Tags: holland, runescape
5 comments
#1
scratchy69
23/10/08, 11:34 am
Hanging’s too good for ‘em, I say.
#2
G1GAHURTZ
23/10/08, 11:40 am
So they got done for the theft of virtual goods and not for assault or using the knife?
Yeah right…
#3
Blerk
23/10/08, 11:52 am
Shouldn’t they be doing virtual community service?
#4
Gamoc
23/10/08, 1:42 pm
Virtual theft? It says they actually stole something – the something was virtual, not the theft. Otherwise we’d all be in jail for playing Thief.
#5
mortiferus
23/10/08, 6:24 pm
Serves them right! I hope they are headed straight for a virtual deflouring!