Dual Pokemon Card Heists See Over $300,000 Of Rare Collectibles Stolen

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Southern California experienced a surge in Pokémon card-related crimes this weekend, with thieves stealing over $300,000 worth of rare cards in two separate events. In the first incident, a trading card store was burglarized and display cases were broken into. The second involved a collector being robbed at gunpoint for a briefcase full of valuable cards.

Simi Sportscards, a trading card store in Simi Valley, was robbed early Sunday morning. According to KTLA, security cameras captured at least five people breaking in, smashing display cases, and stealing valuable sports trading cards and Pokémon cards. Owner Jake Miller says the thieves sawed through the front door and the loss, including repairs, stolen items, and new security measures, is estimated to be over $50,000.

Man, I heard about another crazy theft! Apparently, it happened Sunday night around 10pm, and the police think it might be linked to the first one. This time, someone who regularly hangs out at the RWT Collective card shop in Sawtelle was followed and then robbed at gunpoint in the parking garage. They made off with a briefcase full of cards worth about $300,000! It’s insane how much money people are losing.

The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating these incidents and trying to determine if they are related.

Pokémon trading cards have become very popular recently, and unfortunately, this has also led to an increase in thefts targeting valuable cards. Just last month, thieves stole about $100,000 worth of cards – including Pokémon and sports cards – from a store in Burbank, California.

Recent thefts of Pokemon cards have been making headlines around the world. In New Jersey, a postal worker admitted to stealing over $100,000 worth of collectible cards. Across the Atlantic, authorities in the UK discovered a stash of stolen cards valued at more than $300,000. Even in Japan, there are concerns that organized crime groups are using these rare cards to hide illegally obtained money.

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2026-01-07 12:09