Pokemon cards are becoming so valuable that B.C. card shops are becoming vulnerable to break and enters, according to the owner of an Abbotsford store that was recently broken into.
Brandon Chreptyk, the owner of House of Cards, got “one of those ugly phone calls” at 2:30 a.m. PT on Friday.
A gang of thieves had smashed through his store window and stolen thousands of dollars in merchandise — including Pokemon and sports cards.
In security footage Chreptyk posted on social media, a group of burglars smash a window then loop a chain and a large hook around the security grate, which they wrench out with their car.
It “ripped all glass and bars in one go, and they were in and out in two minutes,” Chreptyk said.
While police were on the scene within about five minutes, according to Chreptyk, the thieves were already gone.
“They knew what they were after,” said Chreptyk, who suspects his store was targeted.
A similar break and enter at another card shop, Zephyr Epic in neighbouring Surrey, happened the day before.
“It’s kind of been an epidemic lately, like a lot of stores in the Lower Mainland,” Chreptyk said.
“They might not post online like we did, but it’s very common.”
Chreptyk said the Pokemon card-collecting phenomenon has seen an uptick in interest since the pandemic, particularly over the last year.
He noted influencers like Logan Paul have gotten in on the act, recently selling a rare Pikachu Illustrator card for $16 million US.
Chreptyk says his store focuses on cheaper cards geared toward growing the hobby among children and the community — but thieves aren’t discerning.
“These criminals are going after the sealed product, the boxes and the stuff we get from suppliers and from [the] Pokemon [Company] themselves,” the store owner said.
Chreptyk said the damage was upward of $30,000, not including the damage to the building and showcase displays.
It should be covered by insurance, but Chreptyk noted it’s “a brutal process.”
“A store can’t have this stuff happen and stay open. If this happened again … we’d have to just pivot into something different, get out of Pokemon or get away from the attention it has,” he added.
Here’s why Pokémon card thefts are on the rise
He said the community response after the burglary has been amazing. Children have dropped off pictures and cards, and their parents have brought doughnuts.
“We’re a small family business. We’re not some big corporate thing. We want to stay open for our community,” he said.
“We’ve been around for a little over 10 years, and it just would suck to have it end with things like this.”
Evan Monk, the store manager at Zephyr Epic, said he knows the owners of House of Cards and extended sympathy to them.
Monk told CBC News that there is a misconception that selling Pokemon cards was an easy way to get rich, especially after the entry of big-name influencers like Paul.
But he said the Pokemon Company printed over a billion cards last year, and there was no shortage of cards going around.
“I feel sorry for thieves like this. I think that they don’t really have other sources of joy,” he said.
“Pokemon is a fantastic community. The people within it are wonderful. And you know, this won’t keep us down,” he added.
Staff Sgt. Lindsey Houghton with the Surrey Police Service confirmed there was a break and enter at Zephyr Epic on March 5 around 2:30 a.m. PT.
“At this time no arrests have been made nor any suspects identified,” he said in an email.
“The investigation is open and officers are hoping to be able to follow up on any leads, including any that Abby PD may have in their case.”
Abbotsford police said no arrests have been made in the House of Cards case.
In a statement Monday evening, Sgt. Paul Walker with Abbotsford police said they are examining the Surrey case “to determine whether there are any similar suspects or vehicles that may be connected to our investigation.”
