Collector accuses SEGA of using police to illegally seize Nintendo consoles

In the UK, a collector acquired numerous Nintendo consoles containing SEGA prototypes. Intending to sell them, the collector was participating in a fundraiser organized by the Video Game Preservation Museum. However, an unexpected turn of events occurred when the police raided the seller’s home one day, arresting him and seizing the devices. The collector now suspects that this operation may not have adhered strictly to legal guidelines (as suggested by Time Extension).

The console seller accuses SEGA of shady practices

This past July, the Video Game Preservation Museum attempted to gather funds to acquire Nintendo consoles holding early versions of Sonic Chronicles, Sonic Colors for DS, Sonic Generations for 3DS, and Rhythm Thief. However, the deal was called off as the seller’s apartment was raided by police who seized the game consoles.

In an unusual turn of events, approximately three months after SEGA moved to a new headquarters, an individual responsible for clearing out unnecessary items from their old office reached out to a collector. This person had stumbled upon some consoles among the furniture, which piqued the interest of the collector. The collector ended up acquiring Nintendo handhelds featuring prototype versions of SEGA games for approximately 10,000 pounds.

For quite a while, nothing of note occurred until, in the early part of the day, the police unexpectedly appeared at his residence. They apprehended the dealer and transported him for interrogation, where he willingly complied with their requests. Yet, the response from one of their inquiries caused him to grow suspicious.

I’d like to clarify if SEGA got rid of these items and felt remorseful afterwards, or if they were claiming that the items were taken from Sega without their consent.

Or in a more conversational tone: Was it the case that SEGA sold/gave away these goods and then regretted doing so? Or were they saying someone took the items from them without permission?

The posture of one officer changed abruptly, hinting at a subtle laugh or surprise, suggesting that they found it unexpected that I would bring up such a specific point. This instance made it clear to me that the justification for the raid was questionable at best, and further investigation was necessary on my part.

As a gamer, I found it suspicious when the police took further steps that only seemed to add fuel to the fire. Two days after getting out of jail, I received an odd message demanding me to relinquish my claims on the coveted SEGA consoles I’d been collecting. It didn’t sit right with me, as if someone was trying to claim ownership over something that was rightfully mine. Eventually, a letter came to light revealing that, contrary to initial assumptions, I was actually the legal owner of these precious gaming devices. The twist in this tale just goes to show that truth can be stranger than fiction sometimes.

Due to this, he forwarded appeals to the police for them to secure evidence, but received no response. Similarly, he wrote to SEGA and its CEO with these same appeals. In his letters, the collector hinted at a potential scandal and suggested discreet communication. However, there was no reply, leading the trader to believe that…

I am worried that the items in question were never actually kept by the police as required. Instead, I suspect that the warrants served as a means for SEGA to reclaim property they had carelessly discarded. This handover might have occurred outside of legal procedures. My concern is that these items may have already been destroyed, which could be why there has been such an unusual level of secrecy. If it were revealed that SEGA used the police to seize property I legally purchased and then intentionally destroyed it, the ensuing scandal would be significant.

The issue stems from the fact that Sega didn’t originally own the consoles; they were owned by Nintendo, their manufacturer. As reported by Time Extension, usually, developer versions of consoles are returned to the manufacturer once they’re no longer needed. However, in this case, it appears that was not done. Time Extension is still awaiting a comment from Sega on this matter.

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2025-09-12 15:33