A UK Court of Appeal judge has ruled that gold pieces in the online game Old School RuneScape count as property that can be stolen. The decision came in a case against Andrew Lakeman, a former developer at game publisher Jagex, who faces charges of hacking into 68 player accounts, taking around 705 billion gold pieces worth about £543,000 or $700,000, and selling them for Bitcoin and other money. This ruling, handed down on January 14, 2026, by Lord Justice Popplewell and two other judges, overturns an earlier decision by a lower court that said the gold was not property.
Background
Old School RuneScape is a popular online game where players create characters and go on quests. They earn gold pieces by doing tasks like cutting wood or mining rocks. These tasks can take hours. Players use the gold to buy items, improve their characters, or trade with others. The game lets players transfer gold between accounts in ways that follow its rules. Players can also buy bonds from Jagex for real money. A bond costs about £6 and gives enough gold that would take 15 hours of play to earn. At the time of the alleged thefts, players could buy 13 million gold pieces outside the game for around £2.70.
Jagex, the company behind the game, employs developers to maintain and update it. Andrew Lakeman worked there but left before the alleged crimes. Prosecutors say he used his knowledge or hacked into player accounts without permission. He took huge amounts of gold from 68 accounts. Then he sold that gold on outside markets, getting paid in Bitcoin and cash. The total value came to over half a million pounds. Lakeman faces charges of theft, computer misuse, and money laundering.
Earlier, at a preparatory hearing in Crown Court, a judge said the gold pieces were not property under the Theft Act 1968. That judge called them pure information, like knowledge in someone's head, which cannot be stolen. The judge said gold pieces are all the same, their supply is infinite, and new players can get their own without taking from others. Because of that, the judge wanted to drop the theft charges before trial. Prosecutors appealed to the Court of Appeal.
Key Details
The Court of Appeal looked closely at section 4 of the Theft Act. It defines property broadly, including intangible things that can be stolen in everyday language. The judges said the Act has a wide reach. They rejected the lower court's reasons one by one.
Why Gold Counts as Property
First, the lower court said one gold piece is like any other and supply is infinite. The appeals judges compared this to paperclips. Paperclips are all the same, and companies can make endless numbers. Still, each paperclip is property someone can steal. Control of gold by one player stops others from using it. That makes it rivalrous.
Second, the lower court noted new players can join and earn gold without harming existing ones. The appeals court said that misses the point. The theft was from specific players' existing gold, not future earnings from new sources.
The judges tested the gold against legal standards from past cases. It must be definable, identifiable by others, assumable by third parties, and have some permanence. Gold pieces met all these. Players can see and transfer exact amounts in the game. Jagex can delete gold, but only a small amount of stability is needed in law.
Gold has real value. Players trade it inside the game and sell it outside for cash, even though game rules ban real-money sales. The judges compared it to renting a car and selling it anyway. The rental contract bans sale, but the car is still property that can be stolen.
They also drew parallels to Bitcoin. Digital currencies can be property, even if intangible. A new UK law, the Property (Digital Assets etc) Act 2025, supports this by saying courts decide what digital items count as property.
"Gold pieces within the Old School RuneScape game are property which can be the subject of the offence of theft." – Lord Justice Popplewell, Court of Appeal judgment
The ruling lets the theft charges go forward to trial. It does not decide if Lakeman is guilty. That will come later.
What This Means
This decision sets a precedent for virtual items in games. Gold in Old School RuneScape now clearly falls under theft laws. Courts may apply the same logic to other in-game currencies or assets like weapons or skins. Game companies like Jagex can pursue thieves more easily in criminal courts.
Players might feel safer knowing their earned gold has legal protection. But it highlights risks. The court noted the need for account security like bank pins, especially after hacking. More players could report thefts, leading to extra police cases.
For developers and publishers, the ruling shows contracts like end-user license agreements do not block property status. Even banned real-money trading gives items value that law recognizes. This could affect civil lawsuits too, where players sue over stolen items.
The case ties into wider changes in how law views digital things. With crypto and online economies growing, courts will handle more such disputes. The 2025 digital assets law gives a framework, but judges will shape it case by case.
Prosecutors must still prove Lakeman did the hacking and sales. The trial will test evidence on how he got into accounts and moved the gold. Jagex has pushed for strong action against cheats and hackers before. This outcome supports their efforts.
Outside gaming, the ruling could influence other virtual goods. Think of items in games like World of Warcraft or digital collectibles. If they trade for real money and meet property tests, theft charges might stick.
Banks and police now have clear guidance. Past doubts about virtual theft are gone for this game. Training for officers might update to cover these crimes better.
The decision came amid rising online fraud. Hackers target game accounts for quick cash. Platforms selling gold face more scrutiny if linked to crime.
Lakeman's side argued gold is just data, not ownable. The appeals court disagreed, saying it has qualities beyond pure info. It exists in game software, controlled by players, and depriving one hurts others.
Game bonds add proof of value. They link real money to gold directly through official channels. This blurs lines between virtual and real economies.
As trials proceed, watch for appeals or similar cases. Law evolves with tech. This ruling marks a step where pixels gain legal weight.
