Taiwan police deploys Animal Crossing in-game mail to reunite lost switch console with owner

Receiving and sending mail in Animal Crossing: New Horizons is just one of the few ways to communicate and show your love for your fellow islanders. Or maybe even filing a few police reports.

A player in Taiwan posted a screenshot on Facebook (via CTS), detailing how he had received in-game mail from the police.

Feeling slightly apprehensive at first, the situation quickly turned hilarious when he realised that the local police were contacting him over his friend Mr. Zheng’s lost Nintendo Switch console.

The note read:

"Hello. This is the police station at East Helping Rd, Daan branch, Taipei City. The Switch has been parted from its owner and was turned in.

"We do not have other means to contact the owner, so please help us and reach out on our behalf so they can recover it.”

The police also left their contact information at the end of the note.

Mr. Zheng was playing with his Nintendo Switch when he went to the ATM to withdraw some cash. He absentmindedly placed the console on top of the ATM machine and forgot to retrieve it after.

Luckily, a kind-hearted passer-by picked it up and handed it over to the police. Unable to find any contact information, the police came up with a great idea.

Despite not having played Animal Crossing before, the policeman in-charge talked to his colleagues and realised he could use the in-game messaging function to contact Mr. Zheng’s friend. His friend proceeded to notify him of the lost console.

This hilarious episode comes to a good end as the owner and his Nintendo Switch (and precious island) were all safely reunited within a few short hours of its disappearance.

This article was first published in Geek Culture.