Manhattan Pokémon Shop Robbed of Rare Cards, Community Steps Up
Employees at a Pokémon shop in Manhattan expressed that the store is filled with love, even after a shocking incident last week when masked robbers held them at gunpoint and made off with over $100,000 in rare trading cards.
During a community arts and crafts event around 6:45 PM last Wednesday, Peter Do and around 40 guests were present when one of the robbers burst in, using a hammer to break a glass display and steal valuable cards. As one employee shared in an essay:
Following the audacious robbery, in which several Pokémon enthusiasts were threatened in a supposed “oasis,” numerous local businesses and artists rallied together to help restore the shop and provide plenty of tasty snacks, according to Du.
“After the robbers fled, the place fell silent—then, there was the sound of brooms,” Du recalled. “Customers quickly grabbed dustpans to gather the shattered remnants of the display cases.”
“By morning, our break room was overflowing with boba, donuts, and lobster rolls sent by generous strangers and friends. We ended up giving a lot of it away,” he added.
“Local carpenters and glaziers have volunteered to repair the display cases for free, while artists have offered to replace the stolen art with new pieces.”
Sarah Natochenny, who voices Satoshi in the Pokémon anime, also stopped by, bringing free pizza for everyone, showing her support for the store and its patrons.
Du, who also works at a trading card shop, had previously received support from the Pokémon community when he lost his father in 2016. His dad had often “skipped meals” to buy Charizard cards, and the community stepped in to assist with funeral costs.
“Last Wednesday, seeing men with guns threatening our safe space made me feel an intense anger. However, just like back in 2016, the response from the community was louder than the echoes of breaking glass,” Du described.
Authorities reported that the armed trio escaped with over $116,000 worth of Pokémon cards, $1,000 in cash, and a cell phone belonging to a 27-year-old woman. Images shared on the shop’s Instagram Story showed some of the stolen cards, featuring characters like Treecko, Charizard, Pikachu, and Ho-Oh.
The suspects are still on the run.
“The entire robbery took just three minutes. We’ve held community meetings for several days… Even if the robbers come back and take all the cards, nothing can stop us from sharing our love for Pokémon,” Du asserted. “We’ll keep cleaning up, and we will be back.”
