Auburn Lacrosse Player Steals Truck, Kidnaps Woman Trying to Replicate GTA V

For Auburn student and club lacrosse player Zachary Burgess, the line between real life and video games became far too blurred last weekend.

According to NBC33 News' Samantha Morgan, the freshman was visiting Baton Rouge—likely for the college football game between Auburn and LSU—when he reportedly stole a truck and then attempted to replicate the popular video game, Grand Theft Auto.

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One Auburn fan who visited Baton Rouge never got the chance to see the big match-up. That’s because he was behind bars after he allegedly stole a truck, kidnapped a woman, and hit several parked cars.

According to the arrest report, the incident happened on Saturday, Sept. 21 shortly before 2:30 a.m. Officers with the Baton Rouge Police Department were called to the Tigerland-area in response to a stolen vehicle and erratic driver. 

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Burgess, who reportedly stole a truck after the owner left the keys in the ignition, held the woman inside the vehicle against her will and struck nine parked vehicles. During questioning, he told Cpl. Don Coppola that "he wanted to see what it was really like to play the video game Grand Theft Auto."

Burgess was charged with "Theft of a Motor Vehicle, Hit-and-Run (nine counts) and Simple Kidnapping," and released after posting bond on Sunday. 

For the uninitiated, Grand Theft Auto is one of the highest-grossing video games of all time. It is set in fictional cities, where the player progresses through a story while also having the option of doing side missions that involve various illegal acts. As the name of the game would suggest, stealing cars is a consistent theme—and usually a necessity—throughout the game.  

Fortunately, it doesn't sound like anyone was injured in Burgess' attempt at the real thing.