A rare Pokémon trading card, valued at over $100,000, was stolen from a small store in Massachusetts by a collector who looked somewhat familiar.
The New York Times reported that the thief used a hammer to break into the first edition collectibles store in New Bedford, Massachusetts.
According to William Gilmore, one of the store’s owners, the masked robber quickly gathered high-value collectibles and made a direct beeline for a display case, stuffing items into a bag before escaping.
“They were in and out of our store in just about 30 seconds,” Gilmore said.
“They went straight for those valuable items.”
The thief made off with five rare Pokémon cards and several vintage box sets, estimated to be worth between $100,000 and $113,000, as noted by Gilmore.
While stolen Pokémon cards have gained traction among kids, the haul included the first edition of BGS 8.5, Shadowless Charizard—this little yellow dragon-like creature that can shoot fire.
The robber also took the Shadowless Blastoise, another first edition graded at BGS 7.5.
BGS, or Beckett Grading Services, is a company that grades sports and trading cards.
One of the stolen items was a sealed unlimited Green Wing booster box from the Pokémon Base set, which contains 36 packs of original cards.
“Are they truly rare when there could still be so many sealed boxes from 1999 to 2000?” Gilmore questioned.
This shop, located in downtown New Bedford about 60 miles south of Boston, specializes in Pokémon collectibles, sports cards, and vintage video games.
“It’s just the three of us. This is our passion, something we’ve cherished since childhood,” another shopkeeper, Felipe Andre, shared with NBC Boston.
The store plans to reopen on Tuesday, despite the incident.
As of Monday, law enforcement was still investigating the robbery, and no arrests had been made.
The New Bedford Police Department did not respond immediately to a request for comment.
Pokémon—short for Pocket Monsters—gained immense popularity after its launch as a Japanese video game in the 1990s.
Later, the franchise expanded into trading cards, animated series, and films, introducing iconic characters like Pikachu, a yellow mouse-like figure infamous for its electric capabilities when angered.
