Adults Are Stealing Pokemon Cards

Summary

A Pokemon TCG player discovers that their local Dollar General store is experiencing theft issues, as adults are stealing Pokemon cards and packs.
The store is restricting sales of Pokemon cards to prevent further theft.
Pokemon fans are frustrated and disappointed by the theft issues ahead of Destined Rivals' launch on May 30.

A Pokemon TCG fan recently discovered that their local Dollar General store is restricting the sales of new cards due to adults stealing new stock as it appears on shelves. The Pokemon TCG community is frustrated that theft issues and scalping are affecting the supply of new Pokemon cards in stores, despite recent efforts from retailers like GameStop.

Pokemon TCG continues to excite fans with new packs and sets in 2025, including the new Scarlet & Violet: Destined Rivals expansion. Although the release of new Pokemon cards attracts excitement and attention from new and returning fans, the ongoing issues involving availability persist due to heavy demand and scalpers. To combat scalping, GameStop enacted a purchase limit on new Pokemon TCG products, starting with the launch of Destined Rivals on May 30. The restriction aims to help Pokemon TCG fans have access to the new expansion and sleeved booster packs. However, attempting to get new packs at other retailers may continue to prove to be a challenge.

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Posts

By Bruna Telles

Reddit user Gibbythe3rd doesn't appear to be happy about their recent visit to Dollar General, as the store has experienced thefts of Pokemon TCG cards. A note left on the shelves where Pokemon TCG packs are typically available reads that adults are stealing the cards, and all cards going forward must be asked for and purchased from the cashier. The Dollar General staff apologize for the inconvenience caused by the theft issues at the store, and Gibbythe3rd's Reddit post has garnered the attention of thousands of Pokemon fans who are surprised by the extent of the ongoing problem affecting Pokemon TCG as a hobby.

Pokemon TCG Fan Discovers that Adults are Stealing Pokemon Cards at Dollar General

Some of the Pokemon TCG fans in the Reddit thread are also parents to kids wanting to get new Pokemon cards. For example, Reddit user NfinitiiDark is disappointed that they can't get new cards for their daughter at the moment, and other fans that work at retail are just as frustrated and saddened to see Pokemon TCG stock disappear due to scalpers and theft.

In recent months, fans have noticed that their Pokemon TCG Destined Rivals pre-orders were being canceled in the Pokemon Center online store. The expansion's new Elite Trainer Boxes were very popular items in the Pokemon Center, with site traffic leading to crashes and lengthy queue times for pre-orders. Before the expansion's release, fans who managed to secure a pre-order may check the status of their orders at Pokemon Center or be on the lookout for an email whenever their orders have been shipped.

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