US police play Grand Theft Auto to catch net perverts

POLICE in the United States are reportedly using the controversial video game Grand Theft Auto IV to catch internet paedophiles.

Officers are playing the online multiplayer version of the game, designed by Edinburgh-based company Rockstar North, in an attempt to spot potential offenders.

Thomas Kish, a detective lieutenant in the Michigan State Police, said: "Child predators are migrating from traditional methods to alternate media. They are going to places where children are."

In December last year, Michigan prosecutors sentenced a man to ten years in prison for using the game World of Warcraft to lure a 12-year-old girl into having sex with him. It was later discovered that he had used a variety of other online games to pursue children.

It is understood Microsoft have also been co-operating with the police, advising them on how to extract certain information.

Grand Theft Auto IV became the fastest selling video game of all time when it was released earlier this year, selling more than 3.6 million copies in its first day of release.