VANCOUVER – Police in British Columbia say an unusual undercover operation targeting suspected thieves has led to an arrest, after a string of violent robberies linked to high-value Pokémon cards.
Card collector Mark Li says he knows firsthand what it’s like to be victimized.
Li says he was attacked in October, while trying to sell two cards worth around $20,000 through Facebook Marketplace.
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After meeting two people he believed were buyers outside a Burnaby home, he says the situation quickly escalated.
“After they could tell my cards were legit, one of the suspects was like, ‘get him,’” Li told CTV News.
He says he managed to grab onto one of the thieves he describes as teenagers, but was pepper-sprayed and temporarily blinded before the suspects took off with the cards.
“I couldn’t see. I couldn’t see them,” Li told CTV News.
Vancouver police said Thursday they recently responded to five similar cases in less than a week, which led to the undercover sting.
Officers posed as online sellers, listing Pokémon cards for sale in an attempt to gain the attention of the suspect. The tactic worked, investigators said, resulting in the arrest of a man in his 20s on March 27, who is expected to face charges.
The case is part of a growing trend across B.C. and Canada, where once niche collectibles have become high-value and are increasingly being targeted by criminals.
High-value collectibles drawing attention
Some Pokémon cards are now sold for staggering prices.
Collector Jesse Peng says one of the rarest cards in existence – a 1998 Pikachu Illustrator he owns – which is in perfect condition, could be worth about $4 million. Because of that, he says security is critical.
“We don’t keep them at the shop, we don’t keep them at the house,” said Peng, who co-owns Richmond’s VanCity CJ Trading Cards with his wife. “We keep them at a secure bank vault offsite.”
Shops increasingly targeted
Small business owners across the country say their stores are being hit in robberies, often in the early morning, with thieves specifically targeting Pokémon cards rather than cash or electronics.
A collectibles shop owner from New Westminster reported around $20,000 in merchandise stolen during a January break-in involving multiple suspects.
In Abbotsford, another store lost roughly $30,000 worth of cards in a matter of minutes after thieves used a vehicle to rip off security grates.
Pen says the shops are considered easy targets compared to a jewellery store or bank.
“We’re really increasing our security measures, and I think it’s really important for every card shop owner to understand that there are people that are looking at you.”
Pandemic boom fuelling demand
Experts say the surge in crime is tied to a spike in demand.
The Pokémon franchise was first launched in Japan in 1996 and has now evolved into a global multimedia phenomenon.
Influencers and high-profile collectors have increased interest, pushing some rare cards into the thousands, or in the case of more than one card Peng says he owns, millions of dollars.
That combination of high value and relative ease of resale makes them an appealing target.
“It’s very difficult to track that type of merchandise,” Sgt. Tige Pollock of the Surrey Police Service told CTV News in March, noting that the cards can be harder to trace than electronics.
Safety advice for online sellers
After announcing the arrest related to violent thefts involving pepper spray in Vancouver, police said the best advice for someone buying or selling anything online is to try to conduct the transaction in public. Even better, they said, bring someone else with you. Many police departments also offer safe spaces near their lobby, that are well-lit and monitored by surveillance.
