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Distracted ‘Pokemon Go' users nearly struck during chase

Posted at 5:10 AM, Jul 11, 2016
and last updated 2016-07-11 11:29:34-04
SAN DIEGO – A group of people playing Pokemon Go on their smartphones were nearly struck by a pickup truck during a police chase early Monday morning involving burglary suspects in Linda Vista. 
 
The incident began at around 3 a.m. when San Diego police responded to a break-in in the north Clairemont area. According to police, a resident reported that two men had broken into his home through a window and one of the suspects may have had a knife. 
 
The homeowner told 911 dispatchers he scared off the suspects. 
 
Responding officers located a truck believed to have been involved in the break-in, and a chase ensued through the streets of Clairemont and Linda Vista. During the chase, the truck almost crashed into a group of six people who were glued to their phones playing Pokemon Go on Kelly Street in Linda Vista. 
 
The Pokemon GO app, which uses a smartphone's GPS to lead players in a scavenger hunt-type search to find digital Pokemon around town, has become an international craze.
 
The chase ended at Kelly Street and Kelly Place when the two suspects jumped out of their truck and ran into a canyon. 
 
No arrests had been made as of 5 a.m. The exact circumstances of the break-in were not confirmed.