A series of Pokémon trading card robberies in Tokyo are causing local card shops to suffer great losses while authorities try to find the culprits.
A string of mysterious robberies in Tokyo have been targeting local trading card stores in an effort to steal large amounts of Pokemon Trading Card Game cards. With the popularity of the franchise's cards rising, robbery attempts on Pokemon trading cards have become an increasing issue around the world.
For years Pokemon TCG cards have been a popular collector's item for many fans of the franchise. However, a recent resurgence in the cards caused by internet trends like Pokemon card pack opening videos have made the worth of these products skyrocket. With this newfound popularity, there are some out there who are willing to do whatever is necessary in order to get their hands on as many cards as possible. Unfortunately, this can even lead some to commit crimes for the sake of owning these cards.
Reports from The Japan Times have informed that these robberies have been going on since last summer. There have currently been five reported robberies at local trading card shops involving the theft of rare Pokemon cards. One burglary case had sixty cards stolen which totaled around 8.5 million yen (around $64,200 USD). With Pokemon card thieves becoming more common, trading card stores have witnessed some terrible monetary losses at the hands of these robbers.
As of right now the damages are reported to be estimated at tens of millions of yen. With Pokemon cards being known for their beautiful artwork and reputation for specific cards being rare, these items draw in many different collectors who are sometimes willing to pay incredibly high prices in order to own something so exclusive. One of the investigative sources told The Japan Times that finding these trading cards are incredibly difficult due to the fact that they aren't uniquely numbered in any way. The report did not state whether these robberies are a coordinated effort or if they happen to be individual incidents.
The rising value of these cards is no joke. Just recently an NFL player was able to retire just from selling one Pokemon card. When one card is worth more than a professional sports contract there's no doubt that some people would be drawn to stealing these products, even if it meant causing local businesses to lose a lot of money in the process. There appears to be no signs of Pokemon trading cards losing their popularity, so in the meantime these robberies will hopefully be stopped soon in order to keep local stores from taking such hard hits.
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