Pokémon playing cards have been stolen in a collection of burglaries at buying and selling card retailers throughout Tokyo, Japan.
As reported by the Japan Times, a number of shops within the Akihabara district have been focused between November and December final yr.
Based on Tokyo’s Metropolitan Police Division, a retailer in Machida had 60 Pokémon and different collectible playing cards value 8.5million yen (£52,980) stolen in early December.
It’s stated no less than 5 confirmed housebreaking instances involving buying and selling playing cards have occurred in Tokyo since summer time 2022. In all of the instances, thieves broke into the shops late at night time after opening hours.
“I’ve by no means heard of [such cases happening so successively],” a senior investigative supply informed the outlet.
As reported by FNN (relayed and translated by journalist Jake Adelstein), over 1.5million yen’s (£9,342) value of Pokémon playing cards have been stolen in beneath 60 seconds throughout a theft at a retailer in Ikebukuro on New Yr’s Eve.
Based on the report, as much as 100 Pokémon playing cards might have been stolen within the theft. It’s stated Tokyo Metropolitan Police are nonetheless on the lookout for the culprits, who haven’t but been recognized.
In November final yr, a US police officer had his license revoked after he tried to fraudulently buy Pokémon playing cards. The officer, who was charged with one depend of an illegal act involving a theft detection shielding system, admitted to swapping barcodes on Pokémon card packing containers in an try and buy them for a lower cost.