A man found himself in cuffs early Wednesday morning inside a locked Best Buy in Pasadena while a crowd of eager Pokemon collectors gathered outside, hoping to snag some of the much-desired cards. Authorities indicated that the man’s presence in the store appeared to be just a coincidence instead of some elaborate Pokemon-themed plan.
The arrest was made without complications. Investigators noted that there were no signs of forced entry, leading them to believe Keyes might have entered during regular store hours and stayed after closing time.
While inside, he reportedly enjoyed some snacks, sipped on a soda, and even unwrapped an AirPods package. It seems he had previous run-ins with law enforcement related to thefts.
Collectors had started forming lines for hours, with some arriving as early as 11 p.m., eager to grab cards from the new restocks, including the much-anticipated Scarlet & Violet and 151 Expansion sets. The “151” set is particularly popular, as it features the original lineup of 151 Pokémon that started the global phenomenon, driving intense interest from collectors.
Even though the timing of the arrest coincided with the card release, police confirmed there was no indication that Keyes was involved in the event. They suggested it was purely accidental. However, they did mention a notable increase in thefts related to Pokemon cards lately.
Interestingly, it seems Pokemon cards have outperformed the S&P 500 in recent years, boasting an impressive annual return of 46%. There have been numerous thefts, including a significant incident in February where thieves cut through a wall to steal $180,000 worth of Pokemon cards from an Anaheim collectible store. Then in January, a daylight robbery at a West Los Angeles card shop saw a personal Pokemon collection worth around $300,000 taken.
As collectors stood in anticipation outside for the launch of the “151” set, Keyes was taken into custody on suspicion of robbery.
