Pokémon hunt during coronavirus lockdown gets a man fined in Spain

Going outside during a government-initiated lockdown is not advisable, to say the least, but it can be excused if you have urgent matters at hand. Catching Pokémon isn’t one, though, a 77-years old Spaniard learned the hard way, Android Authority reports. Last Sunday, the Madrid police caught a man roaming the Latin district of the city. After a short investigation, it turned out that the man was “hunting Pokémon”, presumably playing Pokémon Go.

It all ended with just a fine, but such behavior is highly irresponsible. Europe is in the peak of the pandemic, with Italy and Spain reporting the highest numbers of new cases and deaths in the past few days. The police department tweeted a photo of the man’s ticket as a warning to other virtual hunters. The translated text on the ticket reads: “Observation and allegations: Hunting for Pokémon”.
 

Cazar #Pokemon, dinosaurios o cualquier otra criatura mágica está ️ PROHIBIDO ️ durante el Estado de Alarma. No pongas excusas y #QuedateEnCasa#ResponsabilidadSocial#COVID19pic.twitter.com/L4U2xvGpU0

— Policía Municipal de Madrid (@policiademadrid) March 23, 2020

 
Meanwhile, the company behind the Pokémon Go game, Niantic, came out with its own measures to help people stay at home. A recent update from March 23 saw the removal of the walking requirements and PokéCoin needed to unlock sets of battles in the GO Battle League, making it easy for people to enjoy the game without the need to go out. Save the hunts for better days and stay home!