Talk about a pile of shame; a college student brazenly stole over $8k worth of Games Workshop product to fuel his “Warhammer Addiction.”
We all know Warhammer is an expensive hobby, but one gamer took it to a whole new level and, when money got tight, started stealing to pay for the miniatures his army needed. This happened at an official Warhammer store without any real effort to hide much. According to reports, a pair of men working in tandem walked out of a Warhammer store with up to £1,000 of product at a time.
$8K Theft to Support a Warhammer Addiction Goes Down in Britain
Biomedical student Jamie Lane, 24, from the UK, recently made headlines after confessing to a series of thefts totaling over $8,300 (£6,500) in Warhammer models. As reported by the News & Star regional newspaper, Lane, accompanied by an unnamed accomplice, committed nine thefts throughout 2023, sparking a significant legal ordeal.
At the Carlisle Magistrates Court in North-West England, prosecutor George Shelley revealed that Lane and his partner were caught on CCTV at a local Warhammer store, brazenly pocketing merchandise without paying. They were putting the products directly into their backpacks without making any look of paying. The stolen loot included Warhammer figures worth approximately $8,300 (£6,523), with a single haul on September 4, 2023, netting over $1,270 (£1,000) worth of items. While searching Lane’s residence, authorities discovered stolen goods valued at $4,289 (£3,368), shedding light on the extent of Lane’s illicit pile of shame.
According to authorities, Lane’s descent into theft was fueled by a Warhammer addiction: “As his addiction to the game grew, so did his stealing from the store,” said the officer. “He is ashamed of what he has done but he didn’t know how he could take the items back… he tried to stop himself, but he didn’t know how to.”
Initially, the two were simply stealing paints for their miniatures. Then Lane’s habit spiraled out of control, leading to more open and large thefts as his obsession grew. A probation officer revealed that Lane, grappling with financial strain and emotional turmoil, felt compelled to steal to feed both his addiction and himself, painting a picture of a troubled individual in desperate straits.
Lane’s legal defense, represented by lawyer Jeff Smith, highlighted the student’s tumultuous personal history, citing familial discord, financial instability, and a history of bullying and mental health struggles dating back to childhood. Despite these challenges, Lane expressed gratitude for the lenient sentence handed down by the court, including a 16-week suspended custody term, rehabilitation activities, and weekly compensation payments to the affected store.
The case of Jamie Lane underscores the complex interplay between addiction, mental health, and criminal behavior, prompting broader discussions about support systems for vulnerable individuals grappling with such challenges. While this is a much smaller scale, it’s not the first hobby heist we saw in 2023, as Gen Con had $300,000 worth of Magic cards stolen before the event even began.
What do you think about people stealing Warhammer or Magic Cards to fuel their hobby?
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About the Author: Rob Baer
Rob Baer
Job Title: Managing Editor
Founded Spikey Bits in 2009
Socials: Rob Baer on Facebook and @catdaddymbg on X
About Rob Baer: Founder, Publisher, & Managing Editor of Spikey Bits, the leading tabletop gaming news website focused on the hobby side of wargaming and miniatures.
Rob also co-founded and currently hosts the Long War Podcast, which has over 350 episodes and focuses on tabletop miniatures gaming, specializing in Warhammer 40k. and spent six years writing for Bell of Lost Souls.
Every year, along with his co-hosts, he helps host the Long War 40k Doubles Tournament at Adepticon and the Long War 40k Doubles at Las Vegas Open, which attracts over 350 players from around the world.
Rob has won many Warhammer 40k Tournaments over the years, including multiple first-place finishes in Warhammer 40k Grand Tournaments over the years and even winning 1st place at the Adepticon 40k Team Tournament.
With over 30 years of experience in retail and distribution, Rob knows all the products and exactly which ones are the best. As a member of GAMA (Game Manufacturers Association), he advocates for gaming stores and manufacturers in these difficult times, always looking for the next big thing to feature for the miniatures hobby, helping everyone to provide the value consumers want.
While he’s played every edition of Warhammer 40k and Warhammer Fantasy (since 5th Edition) and has been hobbying on miniatures since the 1980s, Titans of all sizes will always be his favorite! It’s even rumored that his hobby vault rivals the Solemnance Galleries, containing rulebooks filled with lore from editions long past, ancient packs of black-bordered Magic Cards, and models made of both pewter and resin.
