Chicago Man Faces Felony Charges for Armed Robberies Targeting Pokemon Card Sellers

A 23-year-old man from Chicago, Anthony Garcia, is facing several felony charges after being accused of committing multiple armed robberies aimed at people selling Pokemon cards online.

According to reports, Garcia has been charged with five counts of armed robbery involving a firearm. Chicago police stated that he used Facebook Marketplace to set up in-person meetings with sellers of Pokemon cards. When the victims arrived at the agreed location, Garcia allegedly brought them into the lobby of a building, pulled out a handgun, took their cards, and then escaped on foot.

All five robberies took place in March in the Gage Park area of Chicago’s Southwest Side. The first incident occurred on March 17, involving a 20-year-old victim. Another robbery took place ten days later, on March 27, this time targeting another 20-year-old. The pattern continued on March 28, when a 19-year-old was robbed, followed by two additional robberies on March 29 involving a 29-year-old and a 21-year-old.

The market for Pokemon cards has grown considerably in recent years. Rare cards can fetch high prices, drawing in collectors and investors, making sellers potential targets for crime.

Earlier this year, reports emerged of a card store being robbed, resulting in $300,000 worth of cards being taken by thieves.

Additionally, there were accounts of customers being held at gunpoint after leaving RWT Collective, with stolen cards reportedly discovered in a briefcase. A separate incident at Simi Sports Cards involved robbers breaking in with chainsaws, stealing around $50,000 worth of cards after damaging the display cases.

Court documents indicate Garcia has a history of criminal behavior. He was arrested in August 2025 for retail theft, and he had previously been arrested in 2020 for armed robbery. This suggests a continued pattern of similar criminal activities over the years.