Rare Pokemon Card Robbery Leads to Arrest
A man suspected of driving a group that stole $116,000 worth of rare Pokemon cards from a store in the Meatpacking District has been arrested on federal charges. The individual, Julio Caceres Colina, aged 27, was taken into custody on January 21 after driving three others to the scene of the crime, where they allegedly smashed a display case and made off with the expensive cards on January 14, according to a complaint filed in the Southern District of New York.
Documents from the court indicate that Caceres dropped off his accomplices about 400 feet from the store on West 13th Street. At that time, around 40 people were gathered inside for a decoration event. Witnesses noted the audacity of the crew’s actions.
Images shared on the shop’s Instagram Story revealed that some of the stolen cards featured popular characters like Treecko, Charizard, Pikachu, and Ho-Oh. The complaint mentions that Caceres waited for the suspects to return for about seven minutes following the theft, during which they allegedly also snagged $1,000 from the store’s cash register.
Interestingly, an undercover police officer had visited the same location just a day before to gather intel, according to law enforcement sources. During their planning, Caceres reportedly promised the armed group a “gift” in exchange for their cooperation in “packing” their findings while they were in the van.
This wasn’t his first ride for the crew; on January 9, he allegedly helped them steal approximately $11,700 worth of Pokemon merchandise along with another $1,000 from a different store in Queens. Following that incident, one of the suspects reportedly handed Caceres around $100 for gas and some other items for resale, prosecutors said.
The suspects claimed they were unaware of what was happening when they exited the van, but investigators viewed this defense as an attempt to lessen their culpability in the heist.
Caceres, who has no prior criminal record, has been charged with conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and aiding and abetting Hobbs Act robbery. There’s currently no update on his bail status.
So far, no additional arrests have been made connected to this card theft.
Meanwhile, days after the heist, Pokecourt’s staff expressed gratitude to supporters who reached out from around the globe. “The congratulations, donuts, boba, and other kind gestures have been amazing,” they wrote, emphasizing that everyone was physically safe, which they stated was the most important aspect of all.
