It hasn’t been the easiest week for Craigslist, which is getting sued by minority partner eBay after spurning a buy-out offer. So pity Craig Newmark when he settles down for a nice, relaxing game of Grand Theft Auto 4.

The game, released this week, takes place in a ridiculously detailed virtual world that even has its own satirical Internet. Bloggers write on “blogsnobs.org,” porn sites abound, and there’s a free classified site called “craplist.org.” Real-life blog Some Bits has the description as it appears in GTA4:

“Craplist was started in San Fierro in 1995 by some basement dwelling sociopaths with the simple mission of creating a computer-based online forum where users can sell stolen bicycles and meet up at lunch time and [content bleeped out because MediaFile is a family-friendly blog] … Capitalists don’t understand us. Newspapers hate us. Stalkers love us. Craplist is here to stay. We are you.”

Actually, except for the stalker reference, maybe Craig will find some inspiration in that last bit.

Exhibit No. 1 in how Craigslist rules the classified advertising business, courtesy of the Associated Press :

JACKSONVILLE, Ore. - A pair of hoax ads on Craigslist cost an Oregon man much of what he owned. The ads popped up Saturday afternoon, saying the owner of a Jacksonville home was forced to leave the area suddenly and his belongings, including a horse, were free for the taking, said Jackson County sheriff’s Detective Sgt. Colin Fagan. But Robert Salisbury had no plans to leave.

It gets worse:

On his way home he stopped a truck loaded down with his work ladders, lawn mower and weed eater. “I informed them I was the owner, but they refused to give the stuff back,” Salisbury said. “They showed me the Craigslist printout and told me they had the right to do what they did.” The driver sped away after rebuking Salisbury. On his way home he spotted other cars filled with his belongings. Once home he was greeted by close to 30 people rummaging through his barn and front porch.

If the hoaxers had placed the ads in the paper , maybe all this fuss could have been avoided.

(Photo: Reuters / Race horse Chiquitin rolls in sand in paddock during walkabout session ahead of the SIA Cup in Singapore in 2006.)