Criminosos broke into the “Next Level The Gamers Den” store at Graham, Washington, in the early hours of July 7, breaking a security film window and stealing approximately $10,000 worth of Pokémon cards in less than two minutes. The episode is part of a growing wave of organized robberies against retailers specializing in collectibles that have intensified since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Owner Andrew Engelbeck, who opened the establishment in 2018, reports that the first three years passed without any major problems, but the situation deteriorated after the Pokémon card collecting market overheated.
Global Prejuízos exceeds half a million dollars
In 2023 alone, establishments in Las Vegas, Nova Iorque, Vancouver in Canadá and Nottingham in Inglaterra faced theft of trading cards, accumulating losses of more than 500 thousand dollars. The small size of the cards and their portability make it easier for criminals to transport them and quickly escape. Nick German, CEO of Conselho of Certificados of Cartas Colecionáveis, identifies the factors that attract professional gangs to this type of crime.
- A criminal steals a few cards and obtains value of thousands or tens of thousands of dollars.
- Cartas have high liquidity on the black market and are quickly resold on international networks.
- Valor concentrated in a small volume reduces the risk of detection during transport.
- Demanda internationally supports consolidated networks for the flow of stolen merchandise.
Accelerated Valorização fuels criminal interest
The market value of Pokémon cards has more than doubled in the last year, making them priority targets for specialized gangs. Esta appreciation coincided with the boom in interest during the pandemic lockdown, when many people pursued hobbies at home. Colecionadores beginners and experts alike have invested significant sums in rare and first edition editions, rapidly inflating prices. Criadores of content related to Pokémon also became victims of selective hacks. In February, a producer known as “Pokedeen” published video documenting a break-in at his home where criminals left a laptop and game console intact, but emptied shelves specifically looking for valuable letters. Selective robbery indicates prior knowledge of what the robbers were looking for.
Origem and evolution of the Pokémon franchise
Pokémon was created by Japanese game developer Satoshi Tajiri, inspired by his childhood memories of collecting insects. The first game was released in 1996, followed by a collectible card game in the same year. The cards arrived on the American market approximately three years later and built a community of dedicated fans over decades. The franchise’s 30th anniversary in February this year intensified public interest with special releases and limited editions that further fueled demand among collectors and investors. Este hype cycle prior to commemorative dates coincided with recorded increases in criminal activity in several regions.
Expansão of crimes for collectors’ homes
The wave of thefts doesn’t just affect retailers dedicated to collectibles. Criminosos expanded their targets to the homes of collectors known on social media, suggesting prior investigation and coordination between members of criminal networks that use digital platforms to identify lucrative targets. Vítimas document raids where only cards are taken, evidencing specific knowledge about inventories. The lack of recovery of suspects in previous cases suggests a lack of effective investigations or limited capacity of local agencies to deal with specialized crimes involving small-sized, high-value assets. Este scenario puts both commercial establishments and private collectors at risk on an international scale.