I don't think he was LARPing.

So you're saying that he really was a female elf?  His defense is going to hold water?

!i!

No, I'm saying he's a frickin' lunatic.

Quote from: TonyLBI personally think that there are fairly few crimes related to RPGs

Well, there's quite a bit of shoplifting at game stores...

Quote from: JimBobOzWell, there's quite a bit of shoplifting at game stores...

Very true.  When the old game shop in the area closed, I was invited to play in the owner's wife's Horseclans game.  I asked her why the store closed.  She said the one of the reasons was an insanely high amount of shoplifting going on.

The current game shop actually has roving pickpockets.  I once had to tell a kid that if he tried to feel my ass again, he better be feeling romantic.  Then there are all the collectible game fans who try to steal each other's stuff.

I'm sad to say that my experiences have shown me that a lot of gamers are thieves.  But, then again, that's almost to be expected of a hobby whose primary audience is young teens from lower middle class families.

Roving pickpockets? Where the heck do you game, the streets of some large tourist trap?

Quote from: James McMurrayRoving pickpockets? Where the heck do you game, the streets of some large tourist trap?

Nope.  Just Waco, Tx.

The first time it happened, I just blew it off.  The kid came up behind me, obviously tried to reach into my back pants pocket, and then my jacket pocket.  I just shifted with the first one and with the second I turned and looked at him, and he was cowed and wandered off into the game rooms.

The second time it happened, it was pretty much the same thing, although the kid tried to use the "accidental bump" excuse.  I told the owner of the place about it and he just shrugged it off.

The third time it happened was the incident I described above.

Not to mention the time I played Mage Knight and the kid I had been matched against (against my will) kept on trying to palm my figures or knock them off the table into his book bag.  And one of my friends has a brother who goes in there to play CCGs, and he has said commented quite a few times at all the people in there who will steal your shit if you don't watch them.

Several local stores tried to carry collectible miniatures games like MageKnight, D&D, and Star Wars, but people would open up the boxes and steal the figures they wanted.  The stores still have the unsellable ripped open boxes to this day.  Almost every store keeps the CCGs under lock and key, because otherwise they get stolen.

Wow. Looks like Waco store owners need to install security cameras and buy homing missiles. Get a look at the culprit, find their house, and wham! no more pickpocketing box rippers.

You'd think Texan games stores woulda, you know, taken a few tips from The Duelists' Pal by now.  



You know.  Uncle Al?  From Texas.  Is he from Texas?  Cars Wars is from Texas.

Nooo! you've used the words Steve and Jackson next to each other! That sets of the Nox bomb!

Quote from: James McMurrayNooo! you've used the words Steve and Jackson next to each other! That sets of the Nox bomb!

 Oh Gawd...we wouldn't want to do that.

 In this part of the midwest "Uncle Al" was the host of a children's show for a big part of the 1960s and 1970s. Johnny Depp actually said TV show hosts like Uncle Al inspired his version of Willy Wonka.  Depp lived in Kentucky when he  was a kid.

When I used to play CAR WARS - the Uncle Al character made me laugh a little because of the local character.'s similiar name.

- E.W.C.

Quote from: JimBobOzWell, there's quite a bit of shoplifting at game stores...

NOT at my store !! There better not be any gaddamn shoplifting.

 Sorry - I'm very protective of my store.

- E.W.C.

You've probably got a lot less going on then that guy. Shrugging when someone reports an attempted pickpocketing is not the way to discourage thieves in your business.

Theft is endemic in the local gaming culture.  Most everyone in town knows of at least one habitual thief.  Nothing is done to keep them out of the stores.

Geek Social Fallacies FTW. :emot-geno:

Story time:  The owner of the most successful FLGS used to be a total roughneck when he was younger and is still a rough pecker when he needs to be.  A few years back this guy tried to make a break with a GW boxed set.  The owner did a running vault from the glass-topped counter, breaking it wide open but tackling the thief.  He pounded the guy into the concrete till the cops showed.

No one fucks with his joint while he's there.

Shoplifters ?
 They even try within sight of me   I'll toss a heavy damaged game product at them so hard that they'll... then I'll beat the shit out of ... ... oh never mind.
 Thieves at places where I work just piss me off  too much. The mall our store is in has pretty good security.  Also, the other stores near us tend to watch out for each other .

- E.W.C.