Pokémon cards worth tens-of-thousands stolen in smash-and-grab crime spree

Pokémon cards worth tens-of-thousands stolen in smash-and-grab crime spreePokémon cards have been collected and traded for 30 years, but since Covid they have attracted more attention online, with some of the rarest selling for huge sumsNewsPhil Cardy Senior Reporter12:46, 17 Apr 2026View 4 ImagesThieves are targeting Pokemon cards(Image: Vernon Yuen/Nexpher via ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock)Smash-and-grab robberies have hit Pokémon card shops across the UK with collectible cards worth tens-of-thousands stolen.‌As the value of the cards soars, more than £60,000 worth were nicked from a store in Warrington - following similar thefts in Rugby, Bristol, Bournemouth, Peterborough and Nottingham among others in recent weeks. Pokémon cards have been collected and traded for 30 years, but since Covid they have attracted more attention online, with some of the rarest selling for huge sums.‌Earlier this year YouTuber and wrestler Logan Paul auctioned an ultra-rare Pikachu card for a record £12 million while a recent auction by specialist auction house Stanley Gibbons Baldwins saw over £1.5million in ‘Pokémon assets’ change hands.‌READ MORE: Nintendo Switch 2 drops to 'lowest price' in Argos sale but 'special offer' ends soonREAD MORE: Rare Pokemon card could earn you £16,000 - here's what to look out forView 4 ImagesRare Pokémon card sold by Logan Paul for £12m(Image: Goldin / SWNS)Roy Raftery, from the company, has brokered Pokémon sales worth more than £2m, including an £84,000 Pokémon Trainer, a £442,800 Charizard and an £832,000 Pikachu Illustrator.He said: “Some of these thieves, they don't know what they're taking. Thieves know Pokémon is lucrative, they just know Pokémon is worth taking now. And they think it's an easier target than robbing a bank or robbing a jewellery shop.”‌Chris Grundy, owner of Celestial Collectables in Warrington, believes £60,000 of stock was stolen. He said: “They pulled up outside the shop in a transit v...