Nintendo confirms mass DS heist

Bounty of new Nintendo portables destined for UK gone; loss of reported $2 million in product won't disrupt launch.

When toys go wrong...

Late last week, unconfirmed reports began to surface that a large shipment of DS Lites were stolen in Asia. Today Nintendo confirmed that the larceny did in fact take place, and that the shipment was intended for the launch of the new portable in the UK.

"A number of white DS Lites made for the UK market were stolen in Hong Kong," a Nintendo rep told GameSpot News. "Nintendo is making every effort to ensure that there is enough product available in the UK to meet market demand at launch."

The exact amount of losses as a result of the theft isn't clear, but several Internet reports speculated that the monetary damage hovered around the $2 million mark. Others reported the handheld as turning up en masse in the black markets of Taiwan and Hong Kong.

The DS Lite, which has been in high demand in both Japan and the United States, is scheduled to make its debut in the UK on June 23. The handheld was released in America on June 11, where it sold 136,500 units in its first two days on the market.

216 Comments

  • OddballACamAXYZ

    Posted Jun 26, 2006 4:43 pm GMT

    Wow. The DS is that popular. How about stealing the PS3 launch units next??

  • Edward1211

    Posted Jun 24, 2006 11:38 am GMT

    I hope its not my chinese friend who stole them!?!?
    that would suck big time!!!!

  • nintendo56

    Posted Jun 23, 2006 8:08 am GMT

    sony hired thevies to take them and sony will get the profits

  • metdevthegamer

    Posted Jun 21, 2006 1:46 pm GMT

    Yeah, spray paint, but try not to paint the buttons and the screens. Getting your choice color right out of the box is easier, plus they look better.

    And why not black? It's such a lovely color, it flatters almost everything. Personally, I would like a Navy over the Black though.

    Heh, I wouldn't be surprised if the individuals who stole the DS Lites will paint them black after reading all of these comments.

  • Ben85236

    Posted Jun 21, 2006 12:16 pm GMT

    Why are you people obsessed with the freakin' color? Are you telling me you'd like a broken black DS, over a functional white one? C'mon! Think! Spray paint the freakin' thing!

  • juvinwo1

    Posted Jun 21, 2006 10:13 am GMT

    its probably a conspiracy by sony lol, you cant stop the BIG N, they will rule over all, muhahahahaha

  • 0diablo0

    Posted Jun 21, 2006 9:51 am GMT

    NINTENDO SUCKS!!

    THIS IS NOT FANBOYISM THIS IS IHATENINTENDOISM

  • metdevthegamer

    Posted Jun 21, 2006 9:11 am GMT

    Wow, is it just me or are a lot of people unaware of the black DS Lite? Well, for all of those who don't know what a Black one looks like, here's a few pictures:

    http://www.mobilemag.com/content/images/7986_large.jpg
    http://www.cubed3.com/media/2006/May/jb/dsblack.jpg

    I hope they can recover their stock, the last thing any company needs is to lose $2 Million worth of products because of someone's greed.

  • swmr4201

    Posted Jun 21, 2006 8:15 am GMT

    Smells like Yakuza spirit.

  • bluecollarkid

    Posted Jun 21, 2006 7:48 am GMT

    I don't care, I got a Lite. And to the people who want black, ITS NOT BLACK, it's DARK BLUE.

  • Sanguis_Malus

    Posted Jun 21, 2006 6:00 am GMT

    Disgraceful. The depths that these criminals will ascend to.
    If only their mother's were aware !!!

  • 00Rambol00

    Posted Jun 21, 2006 5:11 am GMT

    ahhhh ass munchin thieves, i hope wen they catch these b******s that they cut their hands off, $2 million dollers is a big loss!

  • elgobbes

    Posted Jun 21, 2006 3:05 am GMT

    I once stole a truckload of Virtual Boys. No one stopped me.

  • DFTricks

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 7:21 pm GMT

    Well that just suks!

  • rbarahona

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 5:58 pm GMT

    WOW!!! I find it very hard to believe that a complete shipment of Nintendo DS Lite have been stolen. Without a doubt those units will be spotte in China and Hong Kong... even in some Latin American countries Hopefully Nintendo will be able to produce enough units for Europe, America and Japan.

  • faridmon

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 5:03 pm GMT

    i bet Sony send solid snake and that dude from splinter cell to steal those 2 million worth of a DSs, thats pretty smart job sony.
    Microsoft, what stealth characters do u have? and no, master chief can't steel those DSs unless he bombs the china goverment

  • i_love_my_ds

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 4:36 pm GMT

    looks like someone really wanted a ds...........

  • condemned100

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 4:23 pm GMT

    i wouldn't mind having the white ds lite

  • Kwiksilva

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 1:27 pm GMT

    The DS is one great system you have to admit.

  • homiebo

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 12:24 pm GMT

    hhmmm. people really want these DS's now days. black in white, true unity

  • Goku-stream

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 11:36 am GMT

    Ow thats big, hopefully something can be done, and hopefuully the amount shipped out and released on release date in the UK will be a sufficient amount for the UK consumers!!!

  • marco888

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 11:05 am GMT

    I really like the polar white DS lite so I am not really affected by this but still Nintendo could have released a Black DS lite at the same time they released the polar white one

  • Zaidyn

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 10:47 am GMT

    black feels like psp, white feels like iPod. Nintendo should be different and realease it in silver.

  • DarkHero1

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 10:27 am GMT

    I can't wait to buy my Nintendo DS Lite. Only 3 days.

  • Wonderboy2790

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 10:27 am GMT

    Don't worry, Reggie Fils-Aime saw this comming a long time ago, "My name is Reggie. I'm about kickin' ass. I'm about takin' names. And we're about making games." He's already got the names of the people responsible, now it's time for him to kick some ass.

  • prozack28

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 10:24 am GMT

    guys all i did was fly my big ol' jumbo jet down and load em in the back. It was my easiest job ever. Im getting some psp's next week.

  • tocool340

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 10:07 am GMT

    We know that the DS is owning sony, BUT WHY DID THEY HAVE TO GO AND STEAL THE SHIPMENT.....

  • metdevthegamer

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 9:57 am GMT

    I think japanesegoth found them! lol!

    That's really funny. New, remain sealed, from Hong Kong, very suspicious indeed.

  • bobreturns

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 9:49 am GMT

    ouch $2 million

  • Emosupside

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 9:45 am GMT

    thats probably them , thats pretty funnny

  • japanesegoth

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 9:42 am GMT

    i dunno if i'm allowed to post a link, but i saw this on ebay...it looks suspicious.

    http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-NINTENDO-DS-Lite-White-NDS-REMAIN-SEALED_W0QQitemZ104752117958QQcategoryZ75555QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

  • anamnawshad

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 9:42 am GMT

    How in the H3ll did such a huge shipment got stolen!?!?!

  • jaefrmbk2k

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 9:41 am GMT

    sounds like another sucessful mission from G.T.A.:Real Life. it shows that it's popularity is spreading worldwide. even my grandma is beatin' up old ladies on the street for petty cash. way better than the video game IMO

  • japanesegoth

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 9:34 am GMT

    wow...stay away from hong kong then.

    i heard miyamoto is going there with his rocket launcher

  • geckosprouch

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 9:29 am GMT

    I hope Nintendo is pumping out a whack more!

  • mattman734

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 9:10 am GMT

    They just lost 2million dollars and all you guys care about still is the color of them ... jerks

  • MoonSaultKid

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 9:07 am GMT

    "So good, you'll steal for one?" I'm surprised nobody's made that joke yet.

  • tebahpla

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 8:52 am GMT

    somethings wrong man. there's a conspiracy goin on...

  • Berem

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 8:52 am GMT

  • marioman50

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 8:47 am GMT

    "Oh wait, that's right. IT NEVER HAPPENED, BECAUSE NOBODY WANTS A P.O.S.P. "
    ^haha, I found that funny even though I have one

  • tonemd_basic

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 8:45 am GMT

    whats the possibility that they can be tracked down if people use them to play games online?

  • Berem

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 8:33 am GMT

    Lol thats funny.

  • 3ternalsword207

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 8:32 am GMT

    hmmm are there any PSP's stolen also????

  • elpuertorican

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 8:28 am GMT

    hmm.... I already got one, but i guess gettimg a DS Lite wont be so bad....not ALL of the DS`s coudve have been stolen, so no prob

  • bc1391

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 8:27 am GMT

    I take it that im the only one that doesn't mind their "big" DS

  • Dinghy_Dog

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 8:23 am GMT

    wow, and they say americans are a bunch of crooks? i bet these people wont even be caught

  • glhx1rush

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 8:09 am GMT

    wow, $2Mil in DS lites stolen, hmmmm, Thieves must be selling them to save up enough money for the new UK PS3 Package! You can almost buy 2 1/2 PS3's for that amount! hahahahahahaha

  • moocow21

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 7:58 am GMT

    Wow, that's a huge theft. I'm shocked that $2 mil of DS lites could be stolen just like that.

  • Bman360

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 7:55 am GMT

    I think the Chinese mafia took them and went back in time and sold them to Sony so Sony would be able to create the PSP. 0__0

  • cyprus646

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 7:45 am GMT

    The black DS lite !? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO well atleast i can get it from my local chinese merchant on the corner for half the price ;-)

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ds   ds heist   ds lite   heist   hong kong   nintendo   nintendo ds   stolen   theft   uk

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