Pokémon TCG thieves rob stores, collectors as card prices skyrocket

2026 has seen a string of armed robberies, with thieves stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of Pokémon trading cards

The hobby of collecting Pokémon cards can be an expensive and sometimes frustrating one, but in 2026, it's starting to feel increasingly dangerous, as armed robberies have become a worrisome trend. On Wednesday, one of New York City's largest commercial locations to buy high-end Pokémon cards was robbed at gunpoint, with thieves making off with more than $100,000 worth of cash and merchandise.

A trio of armed robbers hit enthusiast store Poké Court, which owners describe as "NYC's one-stop shop for Pokémon TCG and merch," brandishing guns and destroying display cases. On Wednesday evening, police responded to a 911 call for a robbery at 412 W 13th St,according to details shared by law enforcement of their ongoing investigation into the Poké Court robbery. Upon arrival, officers were informed that three unidentified males entered the store, displayed a firearm, and made verbal threats. The individual then removed multiple pieces of merchandise and U.S. currency from the location, and a phone from a 27-year-old female. There were no injuries reported, and no arrests at this time, and the investigation is ongoing.On Poké Court's Instagram account, shop owners shared what was stolen at the store's first-ever community event. Items include multiple PSA-graded Pokémon trading cards, some of which were worth thousands of dollars, and irreplaceable mementos, like a fan-made commemorative Poké Court card.

"Unfortunately, a trio of robbers came in during our top loader decorating night and started pointing guns at people and started smashing cases to steal items," Poké Court owners said on Instagram. "This hobby should be a safe and welcoming place and while cardboard can be replaced, no one should ever have to go through this. We are so glad our customers are safe and appreciate the love and support we’ve gotten from the community."Security footage of the robbery was shared with New York Fox affiliate Fox 5, which reported on the robbery on Thursday.

Robberies involving Pokémon merchandise have become an unfortunate trend as the price of Pokémon cards continues to skyrocket. The first weekend of the New Year saw thieves strike on two separate occasions in Los Angeles, with one robbing a Pokémon customer for hundreds of thousands of dollars at gunpoint.On Jan. 4, at RWT Collective in West LA, one of the shop's regulars was robbed at gunpoint by two men in the underground parking lot at night for his rare cards. The value of the cards was approximately $300,000.During the same weekend, burglars broke into Simi Sportscards in Simi Valley and stole Pokémon cards as well, part of a larger string of robberies across Southern California.

Although the owners of RWT Collective say they've bolstered security by installing surveillance cameras around the shop and parking lot the following Monday, that might not be enough. Poké Court in NYC is in the Meatpacking District, down the block from a giant Rolex store with security. It will take nothing short of big, burly men to make Pokémon thieves think twice. It may bolster card and customer safety, but protecting Pokémon cards like jewelry or Rolex watches hardly sounds like a fun place to visit just to partake in a hobby (for whoever Pokémon TCG is a hobby these days, and not a supplementary income for resellers).Polygon has reached out to Poké Court for a statement and will update this story when representatives respond.