Stomper concerned coin-seeking Hunt The Mouse players causing property damage, Sqkii responds
The hunt is back.
But Stomper Angry Bird is concerned about the behaviour of people taking part in the Hunt The Mouse game in their quest to win cash prizes by finding coins hidden around Singapore
Organised by a company called Sqkii, the cash hunt started on Oct 10 and ends on Nov 9. This year's grand prize is a gold coin worth $500,000.
The Stomper said: "I would like to bring attention to an ongoing issue in my neighborhood where players of the game, particularly those involved in hunting virtual mice, are causing damage to public property.
"These individuals have been seen removing drainage covers, leaving them open along walkways, which pose a significant danger to residents who might unknowingly step into uncovered drains.
"Additionally, some have been digging the ground, creating uneven walkways that are hazardous for pedestrians. This reckless behaviour is not only damaging public infrastructure but also creating potential safety risks for everyone in the community."
The Stomper shared a screenshot of a photo showing a drain with its grating at a walkway. The caption read "Who did this at West Coast?" and the photo has the hastag #HuntTheMouse.
In response to a Stomp query, Sqkii CEO and co-founder Kenny Choy said: "At Sqkii, we take community safety and respect for public property very seriously.
"For this particular incident, we have checked in with the individual who shared the photo. They mentioned that they did not see any #HuntTheMouse players lifting the drain cover but instead found it already lifted. However, they shared the image to the group with the intention of deterring players from potentially causing something similar.
"Regardless, we fully understand the concerns raised by the residents. We have clear guidelines advising against such behaviour and prominently display safety hints to all players in-game and on our social media.
"These guidelines make it clear that they do not need to vandalise or dismantle any public infrastructure (inclusive of drainage covers and walkways) in order to find the hidden coins. We explicitly state that no coins are buried underground, and there is no requirement to tamper with any objects.
"These safety reminders are shown to both new and existing players each time they load the game, and they continue to be visible during gameplay, including at the bottom of the screen and when searching for a silver coin.
"Furthermore, any players found violating these safety guidelines risk disqualification from receiving prizes and may be reported to the authorities for further action.
"With the feedback shared, our team will be doing even more to address these concerns. We will be deploying more on-ground personnel to monitor and report errant players, ensuring that those who are found violating our rules are disqualified from the game. This step goes above and beyond the extensive safety measures already in place within the game."
Sqkii posted on Oct 14 that in the first four days of the hunt, $74,000 worth of coins were found.
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