Pokémon Card Shops Targeted in String of Smash-and-Grab Robberies

Pokémon cards have become increasingly popular and valuable in recent years, sparking a series of smash-and-grab robberies at card shops across the UK. Celestial Collectibles in Warrington, Cheshire, is one of the latest stores to be targeted, with robberies also reported in Rugby, Bristol, Bournemouth, Peterborough, and Nottingham.

Shops have seen stock worth tens of thousands of pounds stolen, with Cheshire Constabulary working with police in the north west and around the UK to address the issue. The value of Pokémon cards has soared since Covid, with some rare items selling for huge sums. A recent auction by Stanley Gibbons Baldwins saw over £1.5m in 'Pokémon assets' change hands.

Rare Cards Drive Collector Interest

While most cards are not worth thousands of pounds, high-profile sales of rare items have driven collector and investor interest. YouTuber, wrestler, and boxer Logan Paul auctioned an ultra-rare, high-quality Pikachu card for a record-shattering $16.5m (£12m) earlier this year.

Roy Raftery, a trading card expert at Stanley Gibbons Baldwins, has personally brokered Pokémon sales worth over £2m, including an £84,000 Pokémon Trainer, a £442,800 Charizard, and an £832,000 Pikachu Illustrator. He notes that thieves are targeting Pokémon cards because they are lucrative and seen as an easier target than robbing a bank or jewelry shop.

Chris Grundy, the owner of Celestial Collectibles, had around £40,000 worth of stock stolen when his shop was burgled. He discovered the break-in when a customer called him late at night to say the window had been smashed in. Grundy believes that most of what was stolen were graded cards, single cards, and sealed, foiled packs.

Community Rallies Around Affected Shops

In the days after the break-in, Celestial Collectibles saw nearby trading card shops donating stock, and even children bringing in their own card collections to donate. Grundy said that the community's response has been amazing, with people giving them cards, building furniture, and cleaning up.

Other retailers have also been targeted, with Trove UK in Bournemouth seeing £30,000 worth of products taken, and Full Fire TCG in Gloucester having £25,000 worth of goods stolen. Detective Inspector Liam Keenan from Cheshire Constabulary is aware that the robbery in Warrington is just one of a series of similar attacks.

Card shop owners are warning others to consider how they keep their cards safe, with Chris Grundy upgrading security at Celestial Collectibles. He notes that the rise in value of Pokémon cards has made them a target for thieves, but the community will come back from the robberies.