Pokémon TCG: Sword and Shield—Brilliant Stars

Thieves caught on video at Worlds, TPCi does nothing

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I rarely post here - I am a new player to Pokemon this year along with my son. I find it hard to believe that TPCi would ignore this situation and allow the continued presence of these individuals at Pokemon-sponsored events. It certainly causes me to rethink our participation at future events where they might be attending. I would strongly urge TPCi to reconsider their position on this matter.
 
Prodigiosus said:
I am not taking any sides on this, but I will post the following.

I think this is a hypocritical move by TPCi.

In the spring of 2012, two time National Champion and famous Spanish VGC player Rubén Puig Lecegui was banned from Pokemon events indefinitely for an incident that took place outside of the actual event. Him and a couple of Spanish players stayed at a hotel the night before and were horsing around, and Ruben decided it would be funny to place a piece of dung in the hallway. (There was no flinging of dung, which most articles online state). Him and his friends were kicked out of the hotel and fined. He proceeded to win a 2nd national championship the day after, but once TPCi was alerted of what happened in the hotel, he was banned -- his title stripped, invite/trip to Hawaii gone, and he is still not allowed to play to this day. (While this does not matter much, Ruben was one of the most famous European players in VGC and Spain's best player at the time, having qualified for Worlds the past two years and finishing 3rd in 2011. He was a good guy and worked hard/played fair to earn his accomplishments, but one mishap ended his time in competitive Pokemon)

Dave then posted on a VGC forum the following:

"The Pokémon Company International expects its players to maintain high standards of behaviour conducive to the family-friendly environment that we foster. The Pokémon Company International conducts full investigations into any matters where we believe that a player has failed to maintain these standards, and take appropriate action when necessary. In this case, we have found that unacceptable behaviour did take place, and have taken the appropriate steps in response.

Thank you,
Dave Schwimmer
Pokemon Organized Play Manager"

Ruben's incident caught onto social media and was passed around the internet, including the popular website Kotaku, while this incident has not blown up nearly as much. I feel that TPCi was under a lot of pressure around the incident and the only logical move would be to ban Ruben over what happened while they are trying to take the easy way out this time. In fact, had Mees not posted about this, I would have just assumed this conflict was dropped.

Once again, I have no opinion on this matter nor am I taking sides, but I am expressing an incident that happened earlier in the competitive scene and I feel it contradicts the actions they have taken here.
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For this to gain the notice people want/it needs, I would advise posting it to reddit. They seem to have things posted on other news sites quite often. If it gains enough attention, justice could be served very swiftly.
 
Pokemon has banned people for way less than what happened in Vancouver. I'm honestly surprised the two suspects got off, scott-free.
 
I don't care about Dave or anyone at TPCi admitting being wrong...But what I do care about is them changing their mind for the better on this issue. Our relationships with TPCi and Play! Pokemon are entirely at-will, meaning either side can sever it for any reason. Needless to say, raw proof of Gino stealing is reason enough to sever his at-will relationship with Pokemon, and bar him from tournaments for life.
 
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Raen said:
I don't know about you, but if I was traveling half a world away, I would probably bring my laptop. Heck, as far as we know, he may not even has brought it into the tournament area, and just left it as his hotel room and, eventually, in his luggage. I don't think "keep better track of your stuff" is a legitimate argument here.
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How would the thieves steal the property if the property is locked inside the hotel room? I don't know the full details, but the laptop wouldn't have been stolen if it was in the hotel room. It isn't like they are hackers who could hack the card key slot for the room door, or they know how to pick locks.

When I have valuables, I know full well to never leave them unattended, or under lock and key.

For those who drive cars, do you ever leave your car door unlocked? Do you ever leave your house door unlocked? I didn't think so. If you do, it is ripe pickings for a car theft or robbery.

If being responsible to your belongings isn't an issue, then we would have seen more cases of thievery. Why was the OP's laptop and cards stolen, and not somebody else's? Maybe his stuff is easier to get to?
 
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signofzeta said:
How would the thieves steal the property if the property is locked inside the hotel room? I don't know the full details, but the laptop wouldn't have been stolen if it was in the hotel room. It isn't like they are hackers who could hack the card key slot for the room door, or they know how to pick locks.

When I have valuables, I know full well to never leave them unattended, or under lock and key.

For those who drive cars, do you ever leave your car door unlocked? Do you ever leave your house door unlocked? I didn't think so. If you do, it is ripe pickings for a car theft or robbery.
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The bag was in the lobby during checkout.
 
signofzeta said:
This begs the question. Why was the bag not with the OP? If the tournament was still running, why did the OP check out of the hotel room before the tournament and not after it?
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It's been stated many times that this was on Monday, AFTER the tournament. That's the main reason TPCi has stated they aren't doing anything.

Have you really been reading the whole thread, or just skimming?
 
Raen said:
It's been stated many times that this was on Monday, AFTER the tournament. That's the main reason TPCi has stated they aren't doing anything.

Have you really been reading the whole thread, or just skimming?
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Then what was the reason for the OP to leave the baggage unattended? What was the OP, and the other people, who left their luggage there, doing to cause them to leave their luggage unattended? Normally when I see travelers, I see the luggage with the person, and since this was after the tournament, wouldn't the OP just go straight home? Was there an event after the tournament?
 
signofzeta said:
This begs the question. Why was the bag not with the OP? If the tournament was still running, why did the OP check out of the hotel room before the tournament and not after it?
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Please stop commenting on this thread. You clearly have no idea what is going on nor have you likely ever traveled in your life before. Everything you've posted in this thread is more ridiculous than the last -- which is really saying something considering you started victim-blaming from your very first post.

When you check out of a hotel, you can leave your items with the hotel until you need to collect your items and leave. This is because checkout is normally at 11AM or noon and not everybody's flight is before noon. The hotel had so many people who needed to do this that things were kept in one large area without enough eyes watching it. The two people who did this knew the victim and knew what was likely inside his unique looking luggage.
 
FirestormXVI said:
Please stop commenting on this thread. You clearly have no idea what is going on nor have you likely ever traveled in your life before. Everything you've posted in this thread is more ridiculous than the last -- which is really saying something considering you started victim-blaming from your very first post.

When you check out of a hotel, you can leave your items with the hotel until you need to collect your items and leave. This is because checkout is normally at 11AM or noon and not everybody's flight is before noon. The hotel had so many people who needed to do this that things were kept in one large area without enough eyes watching it. The two people who did this knew the victim and knew what was likely inside his unique looking luggage.
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Have you traveled?. Try Hong Kong? China? Those nations are known for pick pocketers, especially if you walk in a crowded street. I've traveled and lived in hotels before. I never had to experience leaving my luggage behind, knowing full well that people are going to steal it. I'm just stating to the OP that the OP should use this as life experience, to know what not to do in the future. You can change yourself, but you can't change others. I've been to places where stealing is common, and it is my own responsibility that my belongings are safe.

I also travel with my laptop. Now where would my laptop be you ask? In a laptop bag, being carried over my shoulder. Since my super heavy laptop is so precious to me, I lug it where ever I go. Restaurant eating? Laptop is with me. Bathroom? Laptop is with me. The only thing that would be in my suitcase would be clothes, and not so valuable items. If I had no choice but to book a flight that comes after the check out time, I would have kept my suitcase with the bell desk, but since it has nothing valuable, I wouldn't lose much. I'm saying that if you leave things valuable unattended, people are going to steal it. One can't assume everybody in the world is a law abiding citizen. Bad people exist, and as such, it is our own responsibility to take care of our own stuff.
 
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signofzeta said:
Then what was the reason for the OP to leave the baggage unattended? What was the OP, and the other people, who left their luggage there, doing to cause them to leave their luggage unattended? Normally when I see travelers, I see the luggage with the person, and since this was after the tournament, wouldn't the OP just go straight home? Was there an event after the tournament?
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Its common for people to leave their Luggage at the 'bell desk' as long as they have stayed at the hotel. They do so until a) their booked/planned cab arrives. or b) it is time for their later/delayed flight, so they can enjoy the last few hours of their holiday without the burden of carrying everything with them.

I hope this has added some clarity for you. Please refrain from posting questioning the OP's fault in the matter, because it clouds and distorts the actual issue/s at hand. Everyone I know, myself included had their Luggage at the bell desk in that Hotel (in Vancouver).

Question to TPCi - Had it been an employee (judge or member of TPCi) who had their stuff stolen, would there have been a different decision? What if Dave's laptop had been taken?
 
amphyrules said:
Its common for people to leave their Luggage at the 'bell desk' as long as they have stayed at the hotel. They do so until a) their booked/planned cab arrives. or b) it is time for their later/delayed flight, so they can enjoy the last few hours of their holiday without the burden of carrying everything with them.

I hope this has added some clarity for you. Please refrain from posting questioning the OP's fault in the matter, because it clouds and distorts the actual issue/s at hand. Everyone I know, myself included had their Luggage at the bell desk in that Hotel (in Vancouver).

Question to TPCi - Had it been an employee (judge or member of TPCi) who had their stuff stolen, would there have been a different decision? What if Dave's laptop had been taken?
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Well I wanted a good explanation as to why everybody's stuff was left at the bell desk. I was only stating that the valuable stuff, laptop, cards, should be kept with the person, and the not so valuable stuff kept at the bell desk. Thieves are never going to go away, and it would be nice to be prepared.

From threads from Yugioh fan sites I read, stealing is very common in Yugioh tournaments.

Again, you can control what happens to your stuff. You can't control what other people will do to your stuff, be it the thieves, the hotel clerk, or TPCi. Based on the OP's experience, it seems that nobody should be trusted. Kind of puts a dent in Pokemon Organized Play.

The OP put full trust in the hotel staff and TPCi to not let his stuff be stolen. I'm saying that the Hotel staff and TPCi did jack all, I'm saying the OP should take care of his own stuff in the future, because nobody can be trusted. I wasn't saying it was his fault that his stuff got stolen, well maybe it sounded like it. What I was saying was that in the future, using this as life experience, the OP should take better care of his valuables.
 
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Bilbo Baggins said:
I have yet to see people anywhere I travel to carry all their luggage with them the final day in a city for hours before a flight....
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Well if you have a laptop, at least only carry that. 3 most important things that should be with the person. Laptop, phone, and wallet. Basically, take with you the things that are valuable, and leave everything else behind. I'm not saying to take your entire suitcase with you. Also backpacks. It is a great item to use to travel.

It would even be worse if the OP had all his ID in his suitcase. Thank goodness that isn't the case. Laptops are especially important when it comes to keeping tight security on it. If the OP does online banking, and saves his passwords, it would basically mean that the thief not only has access to his laptop, but also his entire savings.
 
I can't believe someone is blaming the victim.

Ok, signofzeta. If you ever get shot, we'll be sure to blame you for being outside the house. WHY WASN'T HE PAYING MORE ATTENTION?! His fault, should have been more careful.

Anyway,

This is a terrible thing; from both a moral and Pokemon playing viewpoint. We shouldn't ignore the people who did this, and we should all hold those people to the same standards that we hopefully hold ourselves. TCPI, do the right thing. Demand the stuff back and a huge apology, or ban these players.
 
Zeta, there's an overreach in your assumption: Mees didn't "put full trust in the hotel staff and TPCi to not let his stuff be stolen." Maybe the hotel staff, but P!P's responsibility is to keep a fun, safe playing environment for its players. We should avoid most (all) legal conclusions here, but when this sort of stuff goes on in the context of an event, and nothing is done, that responsibility is put in doubt.

While you are right that people should watch their stuff, you're side-tracking from the thread's main point, which is what Gino did -- not what Mees didn't do.
 
Cyrus said:
Zeta, there's an overreach in your assumption: Mees didn't "put full trust in the hotel staff and TPCi to not let his stuff be stolen." Maybe the hotel staff, but P!P's responsibility is to keep a fun, safe playing environment for its players. We should avoid most (all) legal conclusions here, but when this sort of stuff goes on in the context of an event, and nothing is done, that responsibility is put in doubt.

While you are right that people should watch their stuff, you're side-tracking from the thread's main point, which is what Gino did -- not what Mees didn't do.
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But still, after all that? I don't think anybody should be trusted. TPCi just shot themselves in the foot, knowing that it is unsafe to even attend organized play, knowing stuff is going to be stolen. What's next, somebody gets beat up, and TPCi offers the offenders a warning? Ri freakin diculous.

I think it was in the Yugioh organized play rules that players are to be responsible for their own stuff, such as not bringing valuables. Because of the high cases of theft, Konami just isn't going to keep track of them all.

It is not about what Gino did, but what TPCi didn't do. If it wasn't Gino, it would have been somebody else. Thieves aren't going to change unless there is punishment. If it wasn't in a hotel, it could have been your wallet stolen from your pocket in a crowded street.

Because we know that TPCi didn't do jack all, it would be wise to be prepared for future events.
 
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