Gadgets and gizmos

It was kind of inevitable that there would be a serious Grand Theft Auto (GTA) inspired crime spree, something the religious groups and politicians can really get their teeth into. Though they did stop short of actual grand theft auto, and as Gizmodo points out, they thankfully didn’t arm themselves with molotov cocktails, a group of teenagers did embark on a random crime spree around New York (usually such a haven of tranquility filled with law abiding citizens) and then told police that they were mimicking the Grand Theft Auto game.

You can bet everything that’s valuable that this is just going to stoke the fires of “violent video games and children” arguments with the majority of the six suspects being teenagers. All were charged as adults, including one 14 year old assailant for a series of random crimes including theft, attempted carjacking, and assault.

Since its release, the GTA IV game has, like its equally popular predecessors, caused a stir of emotion among lobbyists and some parents. Despite gaining the maximum possible age rating, the argument is that ultra violent games like the GTA series encourage kids to commit violent acts. I say “show me the proof” – oh, erm.