This past weekend has seen a new spate of Pokémon TCG-related crimes, with over $300,000 worth of rare cards stolen in two seperate incidents in Southern California. In one, thieves broke into a trading card store and smashed display cases, while a second incident saw a collector held up at gunpoint for a briefcase of rare cards.
Trading card store Simi Sportscards in the Simi Valley was the target of a break-in early Sunday morning, KTLA reports, with CCTV footage showing a group of at least five thieves smashing display cases to steal the cards inside. Store owner Jake Miller says the group stole rare sports trading cards and valuable Pokémon TCG cards after sawing through the front door. He estimates the break-in will cost the store over $50,000 in repairs, lost merchandise, and security upgrades.
A second theft occurred on Sunday night shortly before 10pm, NBC reports, with police saying the two may be connected. The target of the second theft was a regular of card shop RWT Collective in Sawtelle, who was tailed and held up at gunpoint in the underground carpark. The group of thieves stole a briefcase from the collector containing cards valued around $300,000.
The LAPD is currently investigating the incidents, including looking for any connection between the two.
The Pokémon TCG’s surge in popularity in the past few years has also led to a surge of crime related to the valuable cards. Only a month ago, a trio of thieves made off with around $100,000 worth of cards from a store in Burbank, California, in a heist that also involved both sports cards and Pokemon cards.
Outside of California, a USPS employee in New Jersey pled guilty to stealing over $100,000 worth of valuable memorabilia that included Pokemon cards, while a man in the UK was caught with a trove of stolen cards worth over $300,000. In Japan, there have even been reports that the Japanese mob are using rare cards to launder money.