We’ve been reporting for years on the growing spate of Pokémon card thefts, as the market for the shiny cardboard has ballooned through supply shortages and a scalping free-for-all. But in all the many occasions, we’ve never seen someone complete such a theft using a chainsaw. That’s the allegation (via IGN) against Clayton Warren, arrested in Palm Beach, Florida, and charged with burglary and grand theft, after $12,000 worth of Pokémon cards were stolen from the Collection Realm store in Lake Park.
According to local news source WPTV, the owner of Collection Realm contacted the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office toward the end of last week to report that his store had been burgled overnight. Surveillance footage showed someone cutting a triangle-shaped hole in a hurricane-proof window with a battery-powered chainsaw, because Florida. The thief seemingly managed to injure himself in the process, and left blood at the scene. Oh, and he also got his license plate recorded on camera. Via the arrest report we dug up, Warren was caught and arrested later the same day, before being released on a $20,000 surety bond the following evening, May 22. He’s charged with causing damages valued at over $1,000 and theft of property worth $10-$20,000.
WPTV says the store owner watched the surveillance footage and estimated that $12,000 worth of his Pokémon stock was taken in the burglary, including sleeved cards and a bunch of bulk. He also found footage of someone matching Warren’s description visiting the store a couple of days earlier. All in all, the thief sounds like a real pro.
Far be it from me to give advice to would-be burglars, but a few things to generally avoid are loud, cumbersome electric tools, driving your own car right up to the store, and then just cutting yourself open in the process.