Aussie police station issues safety advisory for Pokemon Go players

Now that Pokemon Go is slowly making its way around the world, players seem to be taking to the game in droves.

From the same people behind Ingress, Pokemon Go‘s location-based gameplay means that players have to get out in the real world though. The game uses real mapping data to plot virtual locations, forcing you to physically visit landmarks in order to gain items or find Pokemon.

It turns out that one Australian police station plays host to a PokeStop location in-game, forcing the station to issue a safety advisory on Facebook.

“For those budding Pokemon Trainers out there using Pokemon Go — whilst the Darwin Police Station may feature as a Pokestop, please be advised that you don’t actually have to step inside in order to gain the pokeballs,” the North Territory Police, Fire and Emergency Services Facebook page wrote.

The page also warned users to be aware of real-world hazards.

“It’s also a good idea to look up, away from your phone and both ways before crossing the street. That Sandshrew isn’t going anywhere fast,” it added, while also telling players to “stay safe and catch ’em all”.

Pokemon Go does however deliver a safety advisory on its initial loading screen, urging gamers to be aware of their surroundings and to stay alert.

The game isn’t officially available in South Africa yet, but we’ve got a guide to installing it on your Android phone anyway.