Legal Niches

GTA Said to Inspire Molotov-based Attempted Arson in MA

By pete_gallagher

Claiming they were motivated by a Grand Theft Auto play session, a pair of Raynham, Massachusetts  boys were arrested after allegedly attempting to set fire to two buildings with Molotov cocktails.

The 12-year old and 16-year old tried to burn down a garage and an apartment building early Sunday morning with stolen gasoline poured into bottles, according to Enterprise News. The younger of the two suspects told police that 'they got the idea from a video game they had been playing earlier in the night.'

Police Chief Lou Pacheco told the paper, (in a solemn voice, no doubt), 'They appear to have crossed the line from virtual reality to reality.'

The boys were arraigned on charges of possession of an explosive device and attempted arson before being released to their families. The two are also suspected of going on a tagging spree as well, though thankfully there was no mention of the boys playing Mark Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure prior to that undertaking.

Full post as published by GamePolitics.com on June 30, 2010 (boomark / email).