Some burglars have taken “gotta catch ’em all” a bit too far. A trio of masked intruders broke into a trading card store in Burbank, California, and made off with well more than $100,000 worth of merchandise — a heist of mostly Pokémon cards and other collectible cards — according to the store owner and police statements.
Break-in and Execution
The burglary happened in the early morning hours of Tuesday, December 2, 2025, at LA Sports Cards, located on W. Olive Avenue in Burbank. Surveillance footage shows the suspects arriving in a vehicle at about 1:22 a.m. One of them used a crowbar to pry open the front door while another used power tools to cut through a metal security gate.
A screenshot from Pokémon Violet (2022), Nintendo
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Inside, two of the intruders filled bags with trading card boxes from the retail area. A third went into a back room and removed locked boxes. The burglars also damaged a display case during the theft. According to the store owner, the entire Pokémon heist lasted roughly two to four minutes.
The store owner, Kiet Nguyen, shared his surprise with how his “preventative measures” fell short. The store had a security system specifically meant for notifying the police in time to respond. However, the burglars simply moved too quickly, suggesting they may be professionals.
The Haul: What Was Stolen
The stolen property reportedly from the Pokémon heist included a substantial portion of the store’s Pokémon inventory — primarily sealed booster boxes and trading card packs. In addition, thieves took rare sports and collectible cards stored in locked boxes at the back of the shop.
Key art for Pokémon GO (2024), Niantic
Among the losses was a 1-of-10 collectible card featuring soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo, which Nguyen estimated to be worth “more than $100,000” by itself. The store owner told reporters the performers “went for the sealed products, not really for the cards in the showcase,” presumably to avoid traceable serialized cards.
Nguyen described the loss as “many six figures.”
Patterns and Possible Broader Scope
Investigators suspect the same three-person crew may be behind a string of similar burglaries at card shops in Southern California over the past weeks. The method — targeted, fast, and focused on sealed booster boxes and easily resellable cards — suggests planning and prior knowledge.
Key art for Pokémon UNITE (2021), TiMi Studio Group
The robbery raises alarms within the collectible-card retail community because sealed trading-card products are increasingly valuable and relatively easy to liquidate quickly; they are less traceable than serialized, graded, or individually numbered cards.
However, one of the robbers slipped on a previous break-in, allowing a security camera to catch much of his face. Nguyen shared that he is “confident” police will find the burglars.
Aftermath and Response
The store owner expressed feeling “devastated” after the Pokémon heist and compared the shop to a second home. He said the store plans to upgrade security measures after the theft. “It’s definitely something that we’re going to work through and push through. We don’t want this to happen to other stores. We’re going to stay vigilant and stay strong. We’ll get these guys.”
Detective Pikachu in Pokémon Detective Pikachu (2019), Warner Bros. Pictures
So far, police have confirmed they are investigating the burglary as a high-value theft. No arrests have been announced publicly.
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