Pokemon players hit with pricey tickets at Wayne park after dark

WAYNER, Mich. (WJBK) - Pokémon players on the prowl  at yet another park in metro Detroit. Now, police are on Pokémon patrol -- and they're handing out tickets.

It is the first thing on the ordinance sign that the city of Wayne prohibits entry after dark. The city ordinance has been around since 1995, but lately, police have been actively enforcing it. That has some Pokémon players going broke-e-mon after getting ticketed.

"The ticket writing is out of control, seriously," said Theodore Anderson, a Pokémon player.

Wayne police say it has handed out 61 tickets in just about one month for people lingering in the park after dark. Most of them, like Danny here, playing Pokémon Go and breaking the rules can cost you.

"$276, that was my latest one, about a week ago," said Danny, a player.

His first ticket, was more than $200 as well. He'll be the first to admit he was in the wrong.

"I was actually told to leave multiple times," said Danny. "But I came back, like an idiot and I've been issued two tickets so far."

When the Pokémon Go app first appeared on the scene, Goudy Park in Wayne was a hot spot.

"There is a bunch of Pokémon stops and a gym," said Tiffany Lyons.

"I mean there were hundreds of people, you couldn't find a parking spot here," said Bob Mullen, a non-player. "This grass was all brown from being trampled."

"When it first started we could stay out until 1,2,3 a.m. but for some reason cops started coming out here more frequently and started giving out warnings," Danny said. "That was the first step. And when they realized no one was leaving, they started giving out tickets."

And that, according to some die-hard players changed the atmosphere a little.

"When we first started there was a lot of people here," said Ben Shimer. "After the crackdown it's really thinned them out."

"The tickets and cracking down after dark really set back everything," said Brittany Breton. "But I do understand because a lot of people not obeying the rules."

"They give you warnings, you got to clear out of the park," Mullen said. "Some people don't want to listen I guess."

Some see the Pokémon player as an easy target.

"It's more of a money grab," Anderson said.

And they are hoping for some sort of extended hours when it comes to late light Pokémon hunts in the park.

"We can compromise," Danny said. "It's not that big of a deal."

So we've been told this is the line in the sand. Pokémon hunters have to stay in the parking lot and can stay here as long as they want.. The problem is all the hunting is done in the park, so players like Danny say that they can't resist and said he will keep taking his chances. Others say they are on second shift and this is the only time they can participate in the activity so there is a petition out there.