Pokémon TCG: Sword and Shield—Brilliant Stars

Thieves caught on video at Worlds, TPCi does nothing

Status
Not open for further replies.
CMsvW said:
Are you saying TPCI shouldn't ban someone for beating someone up?
Click to expand...

No.

I'm saying that they probably would give them a warning, considering how ridiculous the whole situation with the theft is. If Pokemon Organized play thinks thievery isn't as bad, then what makes you think that they think beating people up isn't as bad either?

POP is most at fault for not punishing Gino
Gino is less at fault, because thieves will be thieves, unless they experience some punishment, which POP should have given him.
The OP is the least at fault, but can use this situation as life experience, and to know after what POP didn't do, take precautionary measures with his belongings for future events.

Guy gets beat up and cards stolen. Pokemon organized play says "Sorry, not our jurisdiction".
 
Last edited:
Now this might even be SLIGHTLY reasonable of a choice if this event took place at any other hotel, however considering this did occur at the hotel at which players and staff with paid trips were sent these events are clearly relating to the world championships.
 
I can't believe this thread has turned into pointless bickering over why the OP left his baggage with loads of other baggage, and not the crime that was committed. Seriously?
 
This decision is very disappointing. TPCi has shown in multiple prior incidents that they will suspend a player for clearly inappropriate behavior involving other Pokemon players, even outside a tournament. I can't believe given how much evidence appears to present in this case how a suspension cannot be handed out. This is so much worse than goofing around with names in a pre-release. Furthermore, even before Worlds I have heard many mentions of shady incidents involving Gino L. (I caught him myself with very shady shuffling techniques during worlds which I made a judge aware of. That in itself is one thing, but Gino's name seems to come up in multiple incidents). I can't believe he was not already on 'thin ice' and in the face of such evidence it is unfathomable to me he is still allowed to play this game.

There is video evidence of Gino and Jon going through Mees' stuff in the hotel baggage room. Jon B admits to taking some of Mees' cards and apologizes and sends them back (also says he was just trying to get some of his cards Mees had borrowed back I believe…might not be 100% correct on those details.) Gino says nothing. Laptop is still missing. The legal system won't get him because it just isn't worth going across the border. At the very least he can't be suspended by Pokemon so no one has to deal with this anymore? He gets off scot-free? This is absolutely baffling to me. I understand suspending a player is a big decision and is not something that should be done lightly. However, TPCi has shown they will be aggressive in protecting the integrity and spirit of the game and the Pokemon community. How can they not do that in such a case with so much evidence and large monetary value? I honestly don't know how I could stand playing ~20 tournaments a year with thieves like this if I were in their area. Worse if I had kids playing in such tournaments. Yes we should all be protective of our stuff anyways, but to know there is a thief among us and it's being allowed with no repercussions? Absolutely baffling. A terrible precedent for future issues.
 
The biggest thing of all to keep in mind is that the people speaking out in this thread and elsewhere don't do so lightly. Typical internal community drama is one thing, but the guy more likely than not stole thousands of dollars worth of stuff in the context of a Pokemon weekend -- this is a substantive issue that concerns everyone, and if we don't want our game to have a Yu-Gi-Oh reputation, we have to call out this stuff.

I suppose the next step is to write P!P and suggest that they reconsider the decision.
 
So far this year, TPCi has unbanned a cheater with video evidence, and not banned a pair of thieves. To say this is disappointing would be an understatement.
 
You're right! I think you're missing the point though. That photo came from the hotel's security camera. The hotel wouldn't have given Mees that photo if Gino didn't take the MacBook. Even if the MacBook wasn't in the bag the reality is that he stole something.
 
You are right that they wouldn't give him a picture of the scene if it didnt have something to do with the robbery. However, maybe this was the closest thing that they could come up with that might have to do with the robbery.. I am by no means saying anyone is innocent.. I wasnt there, so I have no witness evidence.. All I am trying to say is that the pictures are not enough evidence to kick Gino out of the game. I mean, in all possibility to our 3rd hand knowledge, Mees could have been trying to set Gino up?
 
Honestly this is disappointing no matter how you look at it. It's disappointing that a popular figure in the game and a former National Champion would behave this way. It's disappointing that after evidence was shown, TPCi chose not to suspend him. Most of all, it's disappointing that the community's reputation will be affected by this. Historically the Pokémon TCG has been a clean, friendly game where people could attend events safely and without fear of being a victim of crime. Unfortunately, I'm not sure I can say that anymore.

As a community, we have to speak out against this to show that this behavior is not tolerated. Whether it's cheating or stealing, players who display this kind of behavior do not belong in the game. Let it be known that this incident does not represent the Pokémon TCG as a whole, and we do have a community we can be proud of.
 
This is disgraceful. Players have been banned for stealing in the past. There is obvious proof of the crime. What TPCi did was take the easy way out instead of standing up for it's players.
 
I've literally never posted here, and registered just to say how much I disagree with TPCi's decision.
I just don't feel safe with known thieves roaming around tournaments- I can't believe TPCi would allow these two people to return to tournaments. Makes me sort of apprehensive to attend future events. I really hope TPCi reconsiders its decision.
 
With all the evidence, witnesses, and a security report outlining both Gino and Jon as prime suspects I'm appalled at anyone who is still trying to defend them. These asinine "not enough evidence" or "it's mees' fault for leaving his stuff around" are both counter productive and entirely incorrect. Before you comment on something as important as this at least take the time to get some info on the situation or even use some common sense for christ sake. Commenting just to comment wastes everyones time so unless you have a productive argument you should let the thread continue with people who do. I'm also not saying that you need to be on the side of the crowd; of course a good argument on why Gino and Jon are innocent or shouldn't be reprimanded is welcome, but we all need to act with a little common sense if possible!
 
IF this theft is not met with a ban (and Pokémon had banned people for defecating in a hotel hallway and others for getting in a shoving match at an airport in the past) then they really can nothing justify banning anyone else in the future. IF the leadership of Pokemon cant even police their own game to protect players from harm from other players who seek to do wrong then what can we really trust them to do?
 
emtor said:
I've literally never posted here, and registered just to say how much I disagree with TPCi's decision.
I just don't feel safe with known thieves roaming around tournaments- I can't believe TPCi would allow these two people to return to tournaments. Makes me sort of apprehensive to attend future events. I really hope TPCi reconsiders its decision.
Click to expand...
Thats a fair point. BUT, at the same time who, from now on, is not going to watch Gino closely. Since he has been warned by TPCi, that means professors will watch him the most. With more people watching him, that means, the next time he steals, we will have harder evidence, and actual witness accounts.
 
TPCi, you should be ashamed of yourselves. I can't believe the crap that can come out of one company so often. Not banning these players for what they did? Now you're knowingly letting thieves among us? Does no one in Bellevue have any common sense? If you are going to stick with this decision then unban the European VGC player for his incident a while back. But you won't because that would only make sense right? And you guys don't really like making sense. Nice messages you've been sending new and potential players...
 
PkmnHu said:
You are right that they wouldn't give him a picture of the scene if it didnt have something to do with the robbery. However, maybe this was the closest thing that they could come up with that might have to do with the robbery.. I am by no means saying anyone is innocent.. I wasnt there, so I have no witness evidence.. All I am trying to say is that the pictures are not enough evidence to kick Gino out of the game. I mean, in all possibility to our 3rd hand knowledge, Mees could have been trying to set Gino up?
Click to expand...
Nobody has said the picture alone is evidence. The picture was what could be provided to Mees to identify the person who took his stuff. Hotel security saw this person (identified as Gino) take a bag. The video likely cannot be released because of our privacy laws in Canada.

Denying this evidence is desperate reaching.
 
I'm wondering if I'm looking at the right guy on Facebook, but he does have a picture of a macbook tagged as Mees macbook. Uploaded Sep 2. Is this real? I'm not sure if this has been mentioned already.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top