A spree of trading card and collectible store robberies has been occurring across Melbourne, Australia, since December of last year, with the most recent incident taking place overnight. According to several store owners, the break-ins are being driven by the perceived or real scarcity of the latest Pokémon Trading Card release, Prismatic Evolutions, as well as the overall value of Pokémon cards in general.
The latest robbery brings the total number of affected stores to nearly ten in less than three months. If you go back further, that number nearly doubles. The most recent target was Cherry Collectables on February 10th. We reached out to multiple stores that have been hit, and they confirmed that the thieves were specifically after Pokémon stock. However, one store told us that because they had hidden their Pokémon stock elsewhere, mostly only sports items were stolen. Not only are stores stock is being stolen, but being smash up in the process, with big repair bills for the buildings and storage.
Despite the setbacks, most stores have resumed operations within a day or two, continuing to host tournaments and serve their communities.
A list of stores that have been hit has been created on Bluesky by AstroKerrie, here’s all the stores so far that have been hit.
The good news is, the police are (hopefully) onto it – and there is now mainstream media exposure on ABC Radio and Nine News in Melbourne as well.
Not since the height of the pandemic have we seen demand for Pokémon TCG products as intense as it is right now. The driving force behind this craze is not only latest Pokémon TCG set, Prismatic Evolutions but also general resurgence in popularity coupled with the Pokémon TCG Pocket game getting people hooked on the game once again.
However things have come to a head with the release of Prismatic Evolutions. The demand has been so overwhelming worldwide that The Pokémon Company International has issued a statement acknowledging the situation.
Due to the high demand (and the accompanying poor behavior), they’ve assured fans that more stock is on the way. It’s rare for them to make such an announcement, highlighting just how extraordinary this situation is. It’s not just this one set, reprints of the Pokémon 151 set has had people brawling in US stores fighting over stock there.
So what can we do?
Be patient if you’re looking for stock of these Pokémon products, there’s more on the way – you don’t need to buy potentially stolen stock. When it does come back in stock, then head to these local game stores and support them fully. Tell everyone in your local gaming circle about this, let them know what’s going on so this stolen product is essentially worthless to the crooks. While some brand new product is hard to track, specific graded cards and singles are easier to track.
We have contacted The Pokémon Company as well for comment but they did not reply in time for publishing.
Thanks to all the stores who replied to us about their experience, including Pro Gamers and Collectors who can be found here online, also their store hosts tournaments all through the weekend for all sorts of TCG.
Photo Credit: Grand J Games
Finally, some preorder bonuses.
Nearly 1000 games discounted, a lot of them very good.
Sid's back, there's a beefy cat, a phantom hero, and a moon.
Magnets, always with the magnets.