Pokemon TCG Thieves Arrested After Stealing Over $200k in Cards

A pair of Pokemon TCG thieves have been arrested in Japan following a heist that involved cards valued at more than $200,000. The Pokemon TCG has been around since 1996, launching shortly after the releases of Pokemon Red and Green on Game Boy. Over the last three decades, Pokemon cards have continued to attract collectors and players around the world. Many of the earliest cards hold a lot of value, and newer sets continue to see a lot of attention.

Unfortunately, the popularity of Pokemon cards hasn't always been a good thing. Pokemon card scalpers have become a major problem, with new products quickly selling out and ending up on sites like eBay. Fans have become increasingly frustrated over the last few years, as every new Pokemon TCG release attracts resellers trying to make a quick buck. While scalpers represent a major threat to the card game's popularity, there are worse things happening, as theft has also become increasingly common.

Pokemon Thieves Target Card Shipments in Japan

In December, a transport van was robbed in Japan, with two men securing 34 million yen worth of Pokemon cards, which translates to around $213,000. According to Automaton, the alleged perpetrators have since been caught, but may have managed to sell off 5 million yen worth of the cards. In total, 300 cards were stolen from the van, with the theft taking place in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward. The suspects have apparently confessed to the crime, and one of the men apparently had inside knowledge of the van's route, thanks to his job working with a company involved in the card shipment.

This is just the latest example of thieves taking advantage of Pokemon's popularity, and the problem isn't confined to Japan. In November, nearly $10,000 worth of Pokemon cards were stolen from a New York-based store owned by former NFL quarterback Tom Brady. There are multiple potential reasons that thieves are targeting the Pokemon TCG. The popularity of the cards makes it easier for thieves to flip the cards online for a lot of money, and there's less risk involved in stealing cards versus other high-ticket items.

The Pokemon Company is doing a lot to curb scalpers, but it doesn't seem like it has a lot of options available when it comes to theft. This just seems like an unavoidable problem when a product becomes this popular, and sellers are going to have to figure out ways to prevent theft from happening. That might mean increased security measures or working with local law enforcement to recoup products that have already been taken. It's hard to believe this sort of thing has become such a big problem, but the alternative could mean that some retailers decide to stop stocking Pokemon products altogether.

Between scalpers and thieves, the Pokemon TCG has been in a very weird place over the last few years. Fights have even broken out over Pokemon cards, in stores and even restaurants like McDonald's. Three decades after the Pokemon TCG's release, it's hard to believe there's still this level of sustained interest, and people willing to take advantage. Hopefully things will cool down a little bit, because none of this is good for the fans, or for anyone's longtime enjoyment of collecting Pokemon products and merchandise.