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Hands Off Virtual Goods — Theft is Punishable by Arrest


A Habbo Hotel bellboy

The BBC reports the arrest of a Dutch teenager who was recently caught stealing virtual furniture from "bedrooms" from the Habbo Hotel, a virtual world.

The teenager allegedly lifted 4,000 euros worth of virtual furniture, an act deemed fit for legal reprimand because "the furniture is paid for with real money," according to a spokesman for Sulake, Habbo Hotel's parent company.

Other teens, potentially involved in the crime, were also questioned by authorities.

The thieves allegedly "lured victims into handing over their Habbo passwords," according to the spokesman.

The Habbo Hotel hosts six million users in over 30 countries every month.

In August, similar thefts within Second Life had regulatory agencies buzzing over appropriate lines of defense.

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