A gang of thieves pulled off an overnight heist in Anaheim this week, which involved them breaking into a neighborhood business, tunnelling through a wall and stealing close to $180,000 worth of Pokémon cards, according to police.
As reported by KTLA, the break-in took place at around 3 a.m. on Tuesday and continued until Wednesday morning at DO-WE Collectibles in the 1100 block of North Harbor Boulevard, according to the Anaheim Police Department.
Investigators say four suspects first forced their way into a nearby insurance office before smashing through a shared drywall with a sledgehammer to gain access to the collectibles store next door.
Video footage obtained by KTLA shows multiple suspects moving quickly inside the shop, targeting display cases filled with high-value trading cards before fleeing in a dark-colored sedan, police said.
Store owner Duy Pham said he was asleep at home in Corona when his phone alerted him of the break-in. "I clicked on the footage and saw guys coming through the hole," Pham said. "My heart was pounding. I called 911 right away and rushed over here."
Pham said the suspects appeared to know exactly what they were looking for and ignored electronics and other valuables, focusing only on collectible cards. "They didn't touch our computers or cameras," he said. "They were here for the cards."
The thieves were inside for only about five to seven minutes, according to Pham, but managed to clear out display cases and steal more than 500 cards — some individually worth thousands of dollars.
Pokémon cards have surged in value in recent years as collectors and investors treat rare cards as alternative assets, making specialty shops increasingly attractive targets, Pham said. "One card can be worth up to $10,000," he explained. "People see the money is there."
Pham said break-ins and robberies tied to trading cards have become more common, leaving store owners feeling vulnerable despite security upgrades.
"We kind of expected something like this sooner or later," he said. "When you're in this business, you feel like you have a target on your back."
Last month, Pokémon cards worth nearly $300K were stolen from a card shop in West Los Angeles. The Pokemon cards in a briefcase were valued at around $300,000. Just the weekend before that robbery, thieves broke into a shop in Simi Valley with a chainsaw and smashed display cases, making off with at least $50,000 in valuable cards.
