Earlier this month, a bunch of masked thieves carrying anime backpacks and brandishing hammers and a gun ran right into a New York Metropolis card store after which smashed and grabbed over $100,000 price of merchandise, together with Pokémon playing cards, from the shop.
As reported by ABC7, police are at present investigating the armed theft involving three masked people that befell on the Poke Courtroom card store in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District on January 7. An worker advised the outlet that the thieves threatened everybody within the retailer as they smashed glass doorways to entry Pokémon playing cards and different associated merch. In line with the worker, the theft occurred out of the blue and took solely three minutes. Police arrived after somebody known as 911 and reported the theft.
There have been round 40 prospects within the retailer when the three armed robbers entered and began smashing up the place. They had been there as a part of the Poke Courtroom’s first neighborhood occasion. The store opened in November 2025.
Poke Courtroom proprietor Courtney Chin mentioned that she has an in depth listing of what was stolen and is hoping insurance coverage will cowl the loss. In line with the proprietor, the shop does have alarms, however she is not sure in the event that they labored correctly and plans to speak to her safety firm for extra data. Chin can also be considering hiring an armed guard to assist shield the shop.
“That’s been the recommendation of the police and of other shops in the area to get an armed guard or like a doorman,” Chin advised ABC7.
This isn’t the primary armed theft concentrating on Pokémon playing cards and merch. We’ve seen many other card shops robbed by thieves over the last two years as Pokémon cards proceed to develop in worth and the demand for them skyrockets. In a single incident that occurred in September 2024, thieves requested workers which playing cards had been probably the most helpful whereas robbing the place.
