A cereal box thief was recently caught attempting to steal Pokémon cards and various collectibles by hiding them in breakfast cereal boxes.
Authorities in Brea, California, noted that this habitual offender had a peculiar technique; he would slip trading cards and other goods into vacant cereal boxes to avoid detection at the checkout.
“Unfortunately for the suspect, the police were quite effective in their investigation,” the Brea Police Department stated. “They managed to recover the stolen items and apprehend him without any difficulties.”
Images from the incident revealed a large collection of Pokémon cards alongside numerous empty boxes of Honeycomb, Kix, Cornflakes, and Cheerios.
Additional photographs displayed an assortment of other items believed to be taken by the shoplifter, including an electric razor, a calculator, a bottle of shampoo, printer ink, and women’s underwear.
Views from the community have been mixed; some people expressed amusement at the situation while others couldn’t help but comment on the nature of the theft.
One individual quipped, “Where were they when so many Pokémon were available for others to grab?” while another added humorously, “You should donate your Pokémon cards to people in need, like me.”
This incident echoes previous thefts in Los Angeles, where two robberies resulted in $300,000 worth of collectibles being stolen, including an audacious heist involving an electric saw.
