THIS is the dramatic moment a gang of Pokémon thieves steal $20,000 worth of cards after smashing a hole through a shop’s wall.
Astonishing footage showed the hammer-wielding thugs force themselves through the store’s wall before bagging several expensive items.
Shocking footage showed Pokémon thieves breaking into a store through the wallCredit: Do-We Collectibles via Storyful
The alleged crooks stole $20,000 in cards, the owner saidCredit: Do-We Collectibles via Storyful
In the gob-smacking CCTV clip, a group of burglars can be seen arriving at Do-We Collectibles in Anaheim, California, at around 3:05am on February 17.
They then break in to the shop by knocking down a section of the building’s wall.
One of the masked louts can be seen entering the reseller first, gripping a long black sledgehammer.
The bungling thief even trips over and falls into a large cabinet as he enters.
The robbers are then seen breaking glass display cases and chucking expensive Pokémon cards into black bin bags.
Using the large hammer, one of them smashes into a protective frame on the wall before grabbing more cards.
The brazen robbers are then seen exiting the shop and getting back into the black car before speeding off.
The robbery marks the latest in a seemingly growing trend of stealing valuable Pokémon cards.
Owner Duy Pham was alerted to the burglary in his store at around 3am.
He called cops and rushed to the scene – but by the time he arrived the suspects had already gotten away.
Pham said this marked the second break-in since he opened his shop in 2023.
He told how he had been mugged before in June 2025.
The business owner then installed a range of security measures, including cameras, to deter future attacks.
Addressing the rising wave of Pokémon card burglaries, Pham said: “Being in this business, we have a pretty big target on our back. You never know if you’ll get hit again or not.”
One of them used a hammer to break down casesCredit: Do-We Collectibles via Storyful
Jaw-dropping footage showed the robberyCredit: Do-We Collectibles via Storyful
It comes after a Sun revealed that Pokemon cards worth more than over the past two months alone.
In Britain, Pokémon card thefts have seen “a very large uptick recently”, according to Nick Jarman, chief executive of the Certified Trading Card Association .
He believes criminals are becoming more selective, recognising the collectables are “highly valuable, liquid assets”.
“Pokemon cards are a criminal’s dream,” Nick says. “They are easy to steal, easy to re-sell and tough to trace. Criminals can hit a trading card shop and sell them online.
“Cross-border shipping means they can move them really quickly.”
Amid the rise in thefts, it seems Pokemon’s catchphrase “Gotta Catch ’Em All” better refers to nabbing crooks than collecting the virtual monsters.
Last November, was targeted by robbers.
The alleged thief made off with more than $10,000 worth of Pokémon and baseball cards.
The thieves sped off in a car after the robberyCredit: Do-We Collectibles via Storyful
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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