A Kingsville, Ontario couple suffering from a case of cabin fever amid the COVID-19 pandemic was slapped with an $880 fine for ignoring a stay-at-home order after they were caught playing Pokémon GO, according to the CBC.
Matthew Steeves and his wife had pulled into an empty church parking lot to capture some virtual pocket monsters, when an Ontario Provincial Police cruiser drove up behind them. The officer then deemed the trip non-essential and fined them.
“I was in shock and my mind was blown. I was very angry. I couldn’t believe I was being given a $750 ticket for sitting in my van,” Steeves tells the CBC. “I don’t understand how being inside your vehicle is contributing to the spread of COVID.”
The ticket adds up to $880 when tax is included.
Steeves says his family has been closely following COVID-19 regulations, including refraining from visiting family or friends for months. However, they didn’t realize that going for a drive could land them a fine.
He and his wife picked up the mobile game Pokémon GO, along with his two teenaged kids, around Christmas. The game allows players to walk or drive around in search of digital monsters that appear when someone holds up their smartphone.