Driver fined for playing Pokemon Go at the wheel

A MOTORIST suspected of playing Pokemon Go while driving on a busy ring road has been fined.

The 27-year-old man was stopped for using his phone while driving in Birmingham Street just off the ring road in Stourbridge, West Midlands, at about 12.30pm on Monday.

In a tweet, West Midlands Police traffic officers said: “Male caught Stourbridge ring road on mobile phone, we suspect Pokemon but the ticket will poke this ‘mon’ into not using Pokemon GO.”

The force said in a statement: “He was issued a fixed penalty notice ticket and has been reported to the traffic process office.”

The game sees players travel around the real world, using their mobile phones to capture and train creatures known as Pokemon.

It is the latest incident to involve the global gaming craze which has gripped players since its release earlier this month.

In the UK, one fan of the game dialled 999 and got through to Gloucestershire Police to report someone had “stolen their Pokemon”.

Officers gave the caller words of advice over when it was appropriate to ring 999.

Just to be clear, 'I was looking for a Pokestop' is not an acceptable reason for being on the roof of a shop with a crowbar at 2am!

— Stirling Police (@StirlingPol) July 18, 2016

Nottinghamshire Police said they had received seven calls in the past week relating to “suspicious activity”, when in each of the cases it was just gamers playing Pokemon Go.

They included two teenage boys who accidentally spread fear among villagers in Normanton on Soar as they searched for Pokemon by torchlight in the early hours of July 12.

A security alert was triggered at Leicestershire Police headquarters on July 15 when players gathered at the site, and three students had their phones stolen in a park in Hulme, Manchester, on Saturday while they were using the gaming app, prompting safety warnings from UK police forces and the National Crime Agency.

App creator Niantic said: “We take player safety seriously and want everybody to have a fantastic time exploring while safely playing Pokemon Go.

“We encourage all people to be aware of their surroundings and to play with friends or family, especially when you’re exploring unfamiliar places.

“Please remember to be safe and alert at all times, don’t drive and play, abide by local laws, and respect the locations you visit and people you meet during your exploration.”

Pokemon Go: High demand for app that’s captivated the world