A daring trio carried out an armed robbery at a Pokémon shop in Manhattan, stealing over $100,000 worth of rare trading cards. The incident occurred during a community event, with both authorities and employees confirming the details.
Video footage of the robbery, released by WABC, shows three suspects wearing hoodies, masks, and anime-themed backpacks storming into Poké Court on West 13th Street in the Meatpacking District. Approximately 40 people were present at the time around 6:45 p.m. on Wednesday.
The criminals, one of whom was armed, used hammers to break the glass displays inside the store, which had just opened in early November, as seen in the footage.
During the robbery, the suspects threatened those present and managed to steal over $116,000 in Pokémon cards, $1,000 in cash, and a cell phone belonging to a 27-year-old woman.
The stolen cards, ranging from 1999 to 2016, featured characters like Treecko, Charizard, Pikachu, and Ho-Oh, as shown in images shared on the store’s Instagram story.
Courtney Chin, the founder of Poké Court, reassured everyone’s safety in a video statement on the store’s Instagram account amid the aftermath of the robbery.
Chin emphasized the priority of ensuring the safety of customers, employees, and friends, followed by the need for cleanup post-incident.
Alcremie Sundae, a Pokémon content creator, shared her shock in an Instagram video, expressing how disheartening it was for a robbery to occur during a wholesome event centered around Pokémon cards.
The store’s founder highlighted the significance of the event being the first of its kind in the store, now that seating was available, aiming to create a safe space for the community.
Despite the clean-up required, the store was scheduled to reopen on Thursday afternoon, as indicated on its social media platforms.
The suspects responsible for the robbery were still evading capture.
