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Melbourne Man Fined $1,652 For Travelling 14kms To Play Pokémon Go

Melbourne Man Fined $1,652 For Travelling 14kms To Play Pokémon Go

Victoria Police handed out 172 infringements over a 24 hour period to people breaking the rules.

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie

A Melbourne man has been booked by police for unnecessarily travelling outside his local neighbourhood to play Pokémon Go.

The gamer received one of 172 infringements given out over a 24-hour period in Victoria over the weekend, totalling a whopping $300,000.

The bloke was stopped by police in Melbourne's CBD and quizzed why he was 14 kilometres from his home in Sunshine. He admitted he left his local area to play the popular smartphone game and was fined $1,652.

He's also not the first person booked by authorities for playing Pokémon Go since parts of Victoria went into Stage 3 lockdown. Two men each copped the same fine when they were caught driving around Melbourne trying to catch various Pokémon.

PA

Among the other people who copped a fine on the weekend was a woman who was caught at Southern Cross Station trying to travel to Bendigo. Two men also admitted they had travelled from Altona to the Hobsons Bay area and were found inside a fast food restaurant.

Victoria Police and state government authorities are dismayed people are still breaking the rules put in place to protect people from contracting the coronavirus.

Police Minister Lisa Neville described such behaviour as 'appalling', as the state pushes close to 7,000 active cases.

Melbourne has gone into Stage 4 lockdown, meaning people aren't allowed to go more than 5kms from their home. Ms Neville warned police will have new powers to crack down on unlawful behaviour.

"This really puts beyond doubt their powers. It ensures they have the right tools they need to enforce all the directives and ensure compliance with those directives," she said.

Victoria Police/Facebook

"We've all got to take this seriously, and most people are, but as I said yesterday some people are showing appalling behaviour. In order to get on top of the spread... we need all Victorians to do the right thing."

There will be a curfew for people in Stage 4, meaning they won't be allowed out of their homes from 8pm until 5am. Residents are only allowed out of their homes for exercise once a day and it can only be for an hour.

There are a few exceptions to the rules, including being allowed to see your partner and visit a supermarket, even if they're outside the 5km radius.

Premier Daniel Andrews said the restrictions were necessary to prevent more people being infected.

"We can no longer have people simply out and about for no good reason whatsoever," he said yesterday.

"It is not an easy decision to make but it is necessary and that's why I've made it and that's why police will be out in force and you will be stopped and you will be asked and need to demonstrate that you are lawfully out and you are not breaching that curfew."

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: News, Coronavirus, Australia