Thieves Steal $250,000 Worth Of Pokémon Cards From Family Run Store

A small gaming store, owned by twin brothers, has suffered a massive loss after a robbery which saw $250,000 (£185,000) worth of Pokémon merchandise stolen.

The theft, which took place over two hours, saw numerous boxes filled with Pokémon cards and booster packs taken. And while the owners' stock is insured, there is no way to purchase replacement cards due to their rarity.

"I realised how much money, product, and time we put into it, and I just started crying..." one brother, Eric Johnson, told Fox. "I can't recover this product because our distributors don't have any. So, even with the insurance money, that doesn't do us any good."

If you're a fan of bizarre Pokémon-themed merchandise, then check out our video of swole versions of the Generation One starters.

Even though only one thief was seen on CCTV footage, it is assumed that more people were involved in the crime due to the sheer amount of items stolen. The man caught on tape was seen breaking into the store's stock rooms by knocking down a wall via the vacant building next door. This way the shop's alarm systems weren't activated, as the doors remained shut. The family were worried about the loss due to the current popularity of the franchise. "If it says Pokémon on it, it sells... Pokémon is literally the hottest thing right now."

Nope, this isn’t a scene out of Ocean’s Eleven.

It’s a thief breaking into a Forest Lake gaming store by busting a hole through the wall.

Store owner says $250,000 in Pokémon merchandise was stolen. pic.twitter.com/u67HVaSBFw

— Mary McGuire (@mcguirereports) February 12, 2022

A similar(?) Pokémon card-related robbery occurred when YouTuber Logan Paul was caught short when his allegedly $3.5million (£2.6million) purchase of Pokémon card booster sets turned out to be G.I. Joe cards. Several people have accused Paul of faking the whole debacle for views, as he is known to sink low in the name of content. Paul denies these claims.