Pokémon Card Heist Crew Escapes With Six Figures of Loot

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Burglars in Burbank, California, stole over $100,000 worth of Pokémon and other collectible trading cards from a local store. Police and the store owner say three masked individuals broke in and took the cards, seemingly taking the phrase “gotta catch ’em all” to heart.

Break-in and Execution

LA Sports Cards in Burbank was burglarized early Tuesday morning, December 2nd, 2025. Security camera footage shows the thieves arrived around 1:22 a.m. and forced their way in by prying open the front door with a crowbar and cutting through a metal security gate using power tools.

During the break-in, two of the thieves grabbed boxes of trading cards from the store’s main area. Another burglar went to a back room and took locked boxes. They also broke a display case while stealing the items. The store owner estimates the entire Pokémon card theft took between two and four minutes.

Kiet Nguyen, the store owner, was surprised that his security system didn’t stop the burglary. The system was designed to alert the police quickly, but the thieves acted so fast that they seemed like experienced professionals.

The Haul: What Was Stolen

I was shocked to hear about the Pokémon store robbery! Apparently, the thieves made off with a huge chunk of the Pokémon stock – mostly those super-collectible, sealed booster boxes and card packs. And it wasn’t just Pokémon – they also grabbed a bunch of rare sports and collectible cards that were locked away in the back. It’s a real loss for collectors!

Among the stolen items was a rare Cristiano Ronaldo collectible card – one of only ten in the world – estimated to be worth over $100,000. The store owner explained to reporters that the thieves focused on unopened products, likely to avoid taking cards with serial numbers that could be tracked.

Nguyen described the loss as “many six figures.”

Patterns and Possible Broader Scope

Police believe the same group of three people is responsible for a series of recent burglaries at collectible card shops across Southern California. The burglaries were carefully planned, quick, and focused on stealing valuable, unopened boxes of cards and items that are easy to resell, indicating the thieves had some inside knowledge.

This robbery is worrying collectible-card retailers because sealed trading cards are becoming more valuable and are easy to sell quickly. Unlike cards that have been tracked with serial numbers, grading, or individual numbering, sealed products are harder to trace.

During a prior burglary, one of the robbers accidentally slipped, and a security camera captured a clear view of his face. Nguyen believes this will help police identify and catch the burglars.

Aftermath and Response

The store owner was heartbroken after the Pokémon cards were stolen, saying the shop felt like family. He announced plans to improve security to prevent similar thefts and vowed to remain strong and help other stores avoid the same fate. He expressed confidence they would catch the thieves.

I’ve been following the news, and it looks like the police are treating this break-in as a serious theft – they’re saying a lot of valuable items were taken. As of right now, they haven’t announced any arrests, but I’m sure they’re working hard on it.

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2025-12-19 22:56