Burglars Steal $100,000 in Rare Trading โCards โขfrom Burbank Shop
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Burbank, โขCA โ- A local card shopโข was ransacked on โDecember 6, 2025,โ resulting in โthe theft of approximately โ$100,000โ worth of rare trading cards.The burglars primarily โtargeted Pokรฉmon cards but alsoโ took valuable sports cards โdiscovered in lock boxes.
The incident highlights aโ growing trendโ of thefts targeting collectible card stores โthroughout Southern California. The stolen merchandise representsโฃ a significant lossโ for the small business and underscores the increasing appealโ of trading cardsโค as a liquid asset for criminals.โค Burbank Police Department is actively investigating the break-in and potential connections to similarโข crimes in the region.
Elegant Operation
Store owner โขNguyen believes the โคthieves โmeticulously planned the burglary, suggesting theyโข had surveilled the โฃlocation beforehand. It seemed like they had โit down โฃpat and โthey knew what they were doing,
Nguyen stated. They โwere โtargeting liquid assets. Pokรฉmon cards are so โขeasy to sellโฃ these days and a sealed product, everybodyโฃ has it,โ so it wouldn’t raise โany suspicionโ if someone were to sell it.
The thieves bypassed several security measures implemented by Nguyen,who believed the area was safe due to its high traffic โand preventative security systems.
The trio reportedly knew the precise location of the โmost valuable โคmerchandise. The stolen goods included both Pokรฉmon and โฃrare sports cards, โinadvertently โtaken from lock boxes in the back of the store.
Did You Know?
The market for trading cards,notably Pokรฉmon and โhigh-end sports cards,hasโ surged in recent years,creating a lucrative black market โforโ stolen goods.
Regional Crime Spree
Authorities suspect the same group may โคbe responsible for break-ins โฃatโ at least โsix other โcard shops across โSouthern California. โ Nguyen expressed concern that โฃtheโฃ burglarsโ will โcontinue to target small businesses if they are not apprehended quickly. He hopes for a swift resolution to prevent further losses and disruption within the collectible card community.
| Date โof Incident | Location | Estimated Loss | Targeted Merchandise |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/12/06 | Burbank, CA | $100,000 | Pokรฉmon & Sports Cards |
| Unknown | Southern California (Multiple) | Unknown | Trading Cards |
Pro Tip: If you are โa card shop owner, review and enhance your security measures, including surveillance systems, alarm monitoring, and โinventory tracking.
Anyone with information โฃregarding this โcase is urged to contact the โBurbank Police Department at 818-238-3000.
“weโฃ thought โคthis was a safe and secure,โข very โขbusy street,” โ Nguyen said.
We had preventative measures in placeโค and thought the โคdeterrents were good enough.
What steps โcan card shops take toโ better protect themselves from โขthese typesโค ofโ thefts? Doโ you think the increased value of trading โคcards is directly contributing to thisโ rise in burglaries?
The Collectible Card Market: A Growing Target
The trading card market has โฃexperienced โexplosive growth โคin recent years,โ fueled by nostalgia, investment opportunities, andโฃ the rise of online marketplaces. Thisโ surge in valueโข has regrettably attractedโ the attention of criminals seeking swift profits. Pokรฉmon cards, in particular, โฃhave seenโ significant price increases, especially for rare and โคfirst-edition sets. Similarly, vintage and modern sportsโข cards, especially those featuring iconic athletes, command high prices, making them attractive targets for theft. The ease with which these cards can โbe resold online โฃfurther exacerbates the problem.
frequently Asked โฃQuestions
- What types of trading cards โwere stolen? The โburglars primarily targeted โขPokรฉmon cards, but also took rare sports cards.
- How much โmerchandise was stolen? Approximately $100,000 worthโ of โขtrading cardsโ was stolen from the โBurbank card shop.
- Is this an isolated incident? โคno,โ authoritiesโ suspect โthe same group might โpotentially be responsible for similar break-ins at other card shops across Southernโ California.
- Whatโ is the โขBurbank โPolice Department’s contact number? The Burbank Police Department can be โฃreached at 818-238-3000.
- Areโ trading cards a growing targetโข for theft? Yes, theโ increasing โvalue โขofโค trading cards has made them a more attractive โคtarget for criminals.