A group of Pokemon TCG thieves stole $15,000 worth of cards from a California-based local game store, with the heist taking less than a minute. The Pokemon TCG store opened just two months before the robbery.
The trading card game based on the beloved monster-catching series has become a valuable hobby for many players and collectors. The Pokemon TCG has seen a major resurgence throughout the Scarlet and Violet era and into the Mega Evolution series, thanks to popular sets like 151, Prismatic Evolutions, and Ascended Heroes. The game’s popularity has also seen some cards commanding impressive price tags on the secondary market, like the Evolving Skies Umbreon VMAX alternate art and the Ascended Heroes Pikachu ex Special Illustration Rare. Now, a new Pokemon TCG shop has fallen victim to some unusually speedy thieves.
Pokemon TCG Store Robbed in 39 Seconds
Pokemon TCG store The Card Lab was recently the target of a group of thieves stealing $15,000 in cards and sealed product. Three masked robbers pilfered multiple sealed Pokemon boxes from behind the counter before quickly making their escape in a Nissan Altima, according to police reports. The entire heist was captured on the Brentwood, California-based store’s security cameras, with the entire robbery lasting only 39 seconds while one of the shop’s managers was away from the counter. The Brentwood police have yet to identify or apprehend any of the suspects in the robbery.
Find the odd one out before the timer hits zero.
Find the odd one out before the timer hits zero.
Easy (15s)Medium (10s)Hard (5s)Permadeath (5s)
Store owner Ronnie Hackett shared his own thoughts with Bay Area news station ABC7 after the robbery. The owner shared their relief that the Pokemon TCG shop’s manager was not in the room at the time of the robbery, out of concern for the employee’s safety. The security footage shows several of the products that were stolen from The Card Lab, including the Mega Charizard X ex Ultra-Premium Collection and several Prismatic Evolutions Elite Trainer Boxes. The Card Lab opened its doors two months prior to the robbery, and confirmed it would be closed to install new security systems following the burglary.
Pokemon TCG stores have often been the target of thieves, given the recent collector frenzy surrounding the card game. Several stores have reported falling victim to robbers stealing pricey Pokemon cards, with even a Pokemon TCG shop owned by NFL legend Tom Brady targeted by thieves in November 2025. The trading card game has also seen a massive rise in resellers in recent years, buying out stores like Walmart and Costco in order to sell the products online at a significant markup. Even Pokemon-adjacent products like Pop-Tarts have been subject to scalping, reselling the anniversary snacks for far above MSRP.
Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
Easy (5)Medium (7)Hard (10)
The Pokemon TCG continues to push out exciting new products with each passing month. Pokemon will officially debut Pitch Black as the trading card game’s next major expansion on July 17, with Mega Darkrai serving as the biggest highlight of the expansion. The Pokemon Company also recently shared more details about its 30th Celebration anniversary set, debuting the brand-new Futuristic rarity and reprinting some of the Pokemon TCG‘s most iconic cards. Pokemon fans should have lots to look forward to from the beloved trading card game throughout the franchise’s 30th anniversary.
Source: Dexerto