Pokemon GO: Three students robbed at knifepoint while playing phone app

Craze: A gamer compares the Pokemon GO phone app with a Game Boy, where the phenomenon started some two decades ago
EPA
Sebastian Mann16 July 2016
WEST END FINAL

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Three students have been robbed at knifepoint while chasing virtual monsters around a park in Manchester.

The Pokemon hunters were targeted and mugged for their phones in Hulme at about 8pm - just hours after police had issued a warning about the dangers of the phenomenally popular Pokemon GO app.

Greater Manchester Police had said it was concerned the game could provide another online avenue for criminals to exploit.

Its advice to users included paying attention to your surroundings, especially in built-up areas.

Today the GMP City Centre account tweeted: "GMP warning on Pokemon GO risks soon confirmed as 3 students robbed of phones in Hulme last night chasing Pokemon."

The robberies took place in Hulme Park at about 8pm.

The augmented reality game was launched in the UK on Thursday and has exploded in popularity.

It uses the phone's GPS location data to allow players to roam the real world catching virtual monsters.

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