An eshay from Greensborough says he has created a bespoke version of the iconic board game “Operation” – focusing on shoplifting fashion accessories and other essential items instead of performing life-saving surgery. Lyndon Valentine claims the project took him three months to master, and quite a few minor electric shocks along the way.
Similar to Operation, a game enjoyed by multiple generation all over the world, Valentine’s inventively named “Shoplifter” board game challenges participants to lift select items off a store shelf, with the ever-present danger of getting zapped if your hand lingers too close to the edge of the shelf. The products used to lure wannabe thieves include cans of pre-mix alcoholic beverages, cigarette lighters, sneakers, and “speed dealer” sunglasses.
Speaking exclusively to The Watsonia Bugle in an attempt to gain publicity for a wider release of the product, Valentine said, “Yeah man, it’s pretty hectic, hey. Like, it’s kinda inspired by me real-life experiences just trying to keep me head above water on the streets of suburban Melbourne. I used to love that Operation game when I was a kid and that, so I wanted to do something more for the adults, you know?”
While Valentine remained confident of securing a deal with a global board game manufacturer, he did acknowledge one potential hurdle in getting the game into retail outlets. He said, “Well, yeah, I mean I reckon there’d be a few eshay lads out there who would think it was pretty cool to nick one of these games off the shelves of Kmart and that, haha. You know, shoplifting “Shoplifter”. Get it? Haha, classic.”
The Watsonia Bugle 