Armed robbers steal 6000 copies of Modern Warfare 3

News PC Xbox 360 PlayStation 3 Modern Warfare 3

Latest Tango in Paris.

In France, two masked men armed with tear gas and knives stole a truck thought to contain around 6000 copies of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.

French news channel TF1 (translated by Eurogamer) claimed that at 8am Sunday morning, 10km south-east of Paris, a car crashed into a van containing unspecified video game cargo worth €400,000.

The two men driving the van left the vehicle to "make a report" - presumably phone emergency services. It was then they were reportedly sprayed with tear gas by two men whose faces were obscured. The criminals then climbed into the van holding the video game cargo and fled.

A subsequent report by AFP (Agence France Presse) revealed the €400,000 cargo to be copies of Modern Warfare 3. Mathematically, this was said to represent 6000 copies of Modern Warfare 3, or thereabouts.

What has happened to the copies is unknown. Online marketplace eBay, however, is awash with copies of Modern Warfare 3. But you're unlikely to receive them before those people queuing to buy Modern Warfare 3 at midnight tonight.

Modern Warfare 3 live action trailer.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds. @Clert on Twitter.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

Comments (34) Latest comment 7 months ago

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bad09 #1 7 months ago

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"two masked men armed with tear gas and knives"

Yeah COD fans alright, bloody stabby gits, bet they had a camper covering them to.
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Goodfella #2 7 months ago

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Call of booty.
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mashk #3 7 months ago

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Prime suspect is an overweight man seen with a packet of butter?
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Dr_Cowley #4 7 months ago

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I once heard from a friend who had spent time inside that the only crime that would ever gain you respect in prison is armed robbery where nobody gets hurt.

This doesnt count

Edit: I mean bank robberys or diamond exchanges and the like, not some scally with a shotgun trying to tax yer phone

Edited by Dr_Cowley at 07/11/11 @ 10:23
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fiery_jackass #5 7 months ago

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prime suspect is Activision's head of publicity, more like.
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FortysixterUK #6 7 months ago

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lol...and they are going to shift these how? In pubs ? Car boot sales?
Do they have car boot sales in france?
Is the format for the game NTSC or PAL? 'cos that will potentially limit their market.
This will go on the national news and then they won't be able to shift 'em.
You would expect the french old bill will be over this like flies on poo.
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Yuroko #7 7 months ago

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@fiery_jackass Got it in one. Didn't Max Clifford do a similar thing for DMA when GTA 1 came out?
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metroid455 #8 7 months ago

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Really? you would want to steal Call Of Idiots Modern Sheepheard 3?
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arcam #9 7 months ago

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Today I learned the RRP for MW3 in France is seventy fricking Euros. Unlike Activision, at least these thieves wore masks
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kangarootoo #10 7 months ago

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@Dr_Cowley

Anyone who wants to gain respect from people that were daft enough to get themselves arrested and locked up in prison really needs to raise their aim a little.
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fiery_jackass #11 7 months ago

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@Yuroko
aye, that rings a bell, Clifford definitely did *something* to get stories in the tabloids, can't recall just exactly what. It's a good job this isn't on PS2 as US Customs would take a dim view of a "Combat Training Sim" being played on a "Super computer"
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bad09 #12 7 months ago

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People who call people idiots should really spell herd correctly or their trolling loses it's bite.....
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fiery_jackass #13 7 months ago

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@bad09
its
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uknortherner2000 #14 7 months ago

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@bad09 Likewise, people should know the difference between it's and its
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FiReTiGeR2K #15 7 months ago

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cod is comeing out tonight? since when? holy shit!
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Kanjin #16 7 months ago

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Why not steal a proper game, like Skyrim? Jesus, no class these robbers.
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bad09 #17 7 months ago

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@uknortherner2000 & fiery_jackass

Bastards

/ feels stupid
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saku_luk #18 7 months ago

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Looking at the prices of games in France.... no wonder someone raged and did that...
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Bravestinsane #19 7 months ago

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Daily Mail is gonna have a field day..

They could at least steal decent games.... i mean do you really need more than one copy...

Wht they gonna be doing, selling it to 10 year olds who need their fix and are not old enough to buy it... take them to Germany and try flog them... seriously criminals are idiots.
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Sodding_Gamer #20 7 months ago

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These guys must be Russian. But then again No Russian would want steal this pile of crap.

EDIT: Ok that was a poor attempt

/grabs coat

Edited by Sodding_Gamer at 07/11/11 @ 11:11
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parablax #21 7 months ago

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Now that's what I call a unique pre-order bonus!
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bobfish09 #22 7 months ago

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Surely something as mass produced as MW3 isn't worth the effort of stealing?

Something like SWTOR or Skyrim CEs would be a better bet, with their limited print runs.
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Tryhard #23 7 months ago

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Now that would be a good mission in the game.
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Cobalt_Jackal #24 7 months ago

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Activision should release multiplayer DLC for MW3, DLC where you play as law enforcement and have to hunt down and kill the robbers. Whilst making sure that the van with all 6000 copies is unharmed and the copies returned safely back. Or another mode where you play as the crooks and have to get away from the police, get away in the van with all 6000 copies and return to your safehouse or something like that.

Edited by Cobalt_Jackal at 07/11/11 @ 12:21
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stegabba #25 7 months ago

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to be honest, easy money
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Trafford #26 7 months ago

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Glad to see the "Ban this sick filth" brigade are getting serious.
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dadrester #27 7 months ago

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Were the perpetrators speaking Swedish with one another?
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alexbulluk #28 7 months ago

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Oh wow, my face when I saw they used 'nades and knives. xD
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Spiders #29 7 months ago

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This is a bizarre coincindence - I was planning something similar myself to get hold of Skyrim early.

EDIT: This is a JOKE in case any of the UK "security" services decide to throw me in Guantanamo.

Edited by Spiders at 07/11/11 @ 16:28
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Rajin #30 7 months ago

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@arcam

In most parts of Europe(including The Netherlands)

That's why it irritates me to see british people complain about game prices(Australia has it even worse then us)

Edited by Rajin at 07/11/11 @ 16:34
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Cryotek #31 7 months ago

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@Kanjin Presumably, they are waiting a few years for the full game of Skyrim to be available, rather than steal beta tests.

Sorry, couldn't resist.
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Jonny5Alive7 #32 7 months ago

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This is the bonus level after the end credits.
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Gunhappy23 #33 7 months ago

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What perks where used? MMmmm
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SilentScream #34 7 months ago

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And nothing of value was lost.
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