Crimes Related To Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 -- The Lowlife Report

The release of a blockbuster video game like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is bound to bring out some unsavory elements. It begins with the piracy -- parts of Modern Warfare 3 were apparently pirated weeks before its release -- and goes on to more visceral physical crimes, like robbery, terroristic threats and truck-jacking.

The first MW 3 crime we reported happened last week, when French thieves pulled off a brazen heist of the contents of a Modern Warfare 3 delivery truck. The gang of Pierre's crashed into the delivery truck, tear-gassed the driver, and boosted a shipment of games with a street value of over 400,000 Euros.

Today, I've got a couple of stories of less colorful, more desperate Call of Duty crimes: A robbery and some terroristic threats. Read on for the lowlife report.

According to the local CBS affiliate, on Modern Warfare 3 launch day, shortly after midnight,  31-year-old Lomon Sar in Aurora, Colorado walked into a Best Buy. He said he had pre-ordered MW3, but was informed by blue-shirted Best Buy employees that the game was not in stock. Rather than go home and register his displeasure on the internet like a normal person, Sar reportedly threatened to blow up the building.

Police said Sar also asked employees when they were leaving the store and said that he intended to shoot them in the parking lot.

"The last store I called was the Best Buy by my house and they said okay, we have three copies, two are on reserve and one is here available," Sar explained to KCNC in an interview. "She charged the card, it was $108... She put my name on the box."

"I didn't know words can get you in that much trouble but apparently they can," said Sar.

My final story of Call of Duty related crime is a bit less colorful than the other two, but interesting anyway. In Kansas City, a 27-year-old man went to his local game retailer at midnight, and picked up a copy of Modern Warfare 3 he had pre-ordered. He did not threaten to shoot anyone, and the transaction proceeded normally. But when he arrived home, an SUV pulled up behind him, having apparently tailed him from the store. A man with a gun jumped out and demanded his copy of the video game.

The gamer refused, a struggle ensued and a shot was fired. No one was hurt. The robber then took off, and apparently returned to the same GameStop, where police quickly apprehended him.  David Morales was charged with attempted first-degree robbery and armed criminal action. The robbery charge carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. He was being held in lieu of $50,000 bond. Personally, I'd have just given up my copy of MW 3 to the armed gunman, but if it was Skyrim, we'd probably have a fight on our hands.

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