Merchandise-loving Thieves Target Collectibles
In an astonishing turn of events, thieves have become bona fide criminals after stealing about $300,000 worth of Pokémon cards and other collectibles in two separate incidents in Los Angeles this past Sunday. One robbery involved a rather daring use of an electric saw, which was pretty audacious.
Surveillance footage, shared with the media, reveals a group of five masked individuals wielding reciprocating saws as they break into the Simi Sports Card store in Simi Valley around 3:30 a.m. During this first robbery, they seemed unfazed by the blaring burglar alarms, smashing glass cases and quickly filling bags with items the store owner valued at roughly $50,000.
“They were in and out within three minutes,” said owner Jake Miller. That’s impressively fast, isn’t it? Unfortunately, this marks the second time Miller has experienced a robbery since he opened his store a little over two years ago. In April 2025, he lost around $10,000 in product, but this time, the stakes were much higher—everything was taken.
“I do have some cards worth around $1,000, but this time it was more about volume. They got everything,” he reflected.
The second robbery occurred later that evening, around 10 p.m. It involved a card collector who was leaving the RWT Collective hobby shop in Sawtelle when, suddenly, he was confronted by an armed robber who grabbed his Pokémon cards and fled in a waiting car. Reports haven’t confirmed any connections between the two incidents, though some sources speculate they could be linked. Miller, for his part, suspects they’re related and indicative of a larger operation at play, given that four other stores in the vicinity have been targeted recently.
“It’s definitely an organized ring, or possibly multiple rings,” Miller suggested.
In the current market, asking prices for Pokémon and sports cards have surged over the past year, making them hot targets for thieves. “Reselling these cards isn’t just easy; it’s almost effortless,” Miller noted. “They can quickly flip them at a card show or potentially stash them for a while.” It’s a troubling time for collectors, as this trend seems poised to continue. Police responses to the incidents remain pending.
