Grand Theft Auto V is easily the most anticipated video game of the year, and the thirst for a copy led three men in Staten Island to commit a struggle crime. The three gamers poses as cops, complete with an unmarked police car, to skip the line and purchase the game, only to be arrested after being spotted by real police.
The New York Daily News reports:
Kirolos Abdel Sayed, 19, Matthew Kirshen, 20, and Frank Santanastoso, 19, all cruised to the Staten Island Mall in what looked like an unmarked police car — complete with lights and sirens — just after midnight early Tuesday morning, cops said.
Once there, Abdel Sayed — an auxiliary volunteer with the 122nd precinct — and Kirshen both flashed phony badges while Santanastoso showed off a tattoo of a police shield to convince mall security they were on patrol, sources said.
The three then went straight to the GameStop store, where they each purchased a copy of the game while cooly skipping the 500 or so people that were waiting in line.
Reportedly, after leaving the mall the driver made an illegal u-turn and ran red lights, that got them stopped by an actual unmarked police car. They were all arrested and charge with impersonating an officer, but released on their own recognizance.
Reports the Staten Island Advance:
Santanastaso had his father’s NYPD shield tattooed on his arm, Kirsheh was carrying a fake NYPD shield in his wallet, and Abdel Sayed had his auxiliary badge and ID, according to court papers and law enforcement sources.
No word on whether or not they got to keep the games, but they do face up to a year in prison. Check out photos of the culprits in the gallery.
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Photos: Facebook, New York Daily News
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