How Call of Duty helped catch a robber

See, Call of Duty isn't the mindless waste of time your parents keep telling you it is: it might just save your life stuff.

A Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 match was key to the apprehension and subsequent jailing of a burglar, according to The Argus.

Three men were enjoying a quiet afternoon of gaming this April when two burglars burst into their Eastbourne, UK flat demanding money and drugs.

The robbers threatened their victims with a knife from their own kitchen as well as striking one of the on the head with an imitation handgun. They threatened to shoot or stab the flat's occupants, tied them up and then legged it with a laptop, some mobile phones, an Xbox 360 and a stack of games.

So far so terrible, but this is where it gets kind of fun: you see, at the time the pair broke in and started shouting threats, their victims had been playing Black Ops 2 on Xbox Live - which requires an active headset. The whole affair was broadcast to other players, one of whom was a friend of the three victims and promptly called the cops with details.

Police nabbed one of the two burglars less than two hours later as a result of this rapid action. It probably didn't help that the apprehended fellow took a phone call from his probation officer during the robbery. He's now facing eight years in jail.

The second thief has not yet been caught but police haven't given up.

Thanks, Kotaku.