Stolen Pokemon TCG Collection Worth a Ton Gets Seized by…

Summary

Police in the UK found stolen Pokemon TCG cards worth $330,000, hoping to return them to owners.
Stolen Pokemon TCG cards are common; thieves target valuable collections without serial numbers.
The popularity of Pokemon TCG cards has led to a lucrative market, but caution is advised.

Police have come across an incredibly expensive collection of stolen Pokemon TCG cards. The Pokemon TCG cards are valued at $330,000, and the police are hoping that they can find the original owners in order to return them.

Stolen Pokemon TCG cards are unfortunately more common these days. Pokemon TCG thieves have broken into warehouses, stores, and even attacked individual sellers for their cards after arranging meet-ups. While collecting the cards can be fun and lucrative, those coveted collections can also end up in the wrong hands.

Pokemon TCG Fan 'Strikes Gold' After Looking Under Shelf

A Pokemon TCG fan can't believe their luck when they check under the shelves at a retail store and discover a hidden cache of cards.

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By Sarah Fields

Such seems to be the case with a recent police bust in the UK. According to the BBC, on May 14, the Greater Manchester police raided a home in Hyde, and discovered a massive haul of Pokemon cards valued at £250,000, or $330,000 USD. The police shared some photos of the collection, which include cards that had previously been valued and graded, including some Mint-condition Pokemon cards. Store price labels were even left on the cards' packaging in some cases, with individual cards priced as high as £560, or $743 USD. The police are hoping to reunite the stolen Pokemon cards with their original owners. A post regarding the incident was shared on the Greater Manchester police Facebook page, which joked about the arrest with a Pokemon quote, saying "Gotta catch 'em all."

Returning Stolen Pokemon TCG Cards Isn't Always an Easy Feat

In some past situations, Pokemon TCG collectors have been lucky, and their stolen Pokemon cards have been returned after law enforcement got involved. However, it isn't always the easiest thing to do. In some cases, high-value targets for thieves include things like serial numbers that can make it easier to track an object back to its original owner. However, Pokemon TCG cards don't include individual serial numbers on the cards, making them potentially indiscernible from any other identical card. However, since some of the original store labels and gradings are included in this particular raid's find, the police may have better luck.

Pokemon TCG cards have grown from simply being enjoyed by tabletop and Pokemon fans to becoming a potentially lucrative investment. Between the value of rare cards continuing to rise over the years and Pokemon TCG showing no sign of slowing down, collectors are likely to keep buying and selling cards for many years to come. Unfortunately, crimes around Pokemon TCG cards may continue alongside them. Fans are encouraged to exercise caution with their collections.

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