Video shows theft of $115,000 in rare Pokémon cards from Massachusetts store
A smash and grab thief stole nearly $115,000 worth of Pokémon collectibles from a New Bedford, Massachusetts store. The brazen early morning heist that could rival any cartoon villain was caught on surveillance video.
In only 30 seconds, a masked thief is seen busting into 1st Edition Collectibles on Tuesday around 2:30 a.m., knowing exactly what they wanted- Pokémon cards and boxes.
"I am definitely disappointed this is what's it come to," said one of the owners Felipe Andre. "Never in my wildest dreams have I thought my shop would be the focus of something like this."
Rare and mint edition Pokémon cards stolen
Owners said the rare and mint condition cards were worth nearly $115,000 and the most valuable item stolen was a Neo Revelation Pokémon box worth $30,000.
"They knew exactly what items to target and what they were going for," said Andre.
Owners said the stolen items have serial numbers which are now flagged as stolen. However, as a precaution, the cases have now been emptied and cameras are still rolling, and like one stolen Pokémon box says, the owners hope someone in the close-knit community will catch them all.
"We're not going to let them win, we're not going to let them stop us," said Andre. "I don't know if they're desperate or money hungry or what, but if they're watching just know that they are not a part of this community whether they consider themselves collectors or not. We have people out looking for them."
New Bedford Police are investigating. If you recognize any of the stolen cards, you are asked to call the store at 774-294-0896 or New Bedford police.
