There were no Security Blockade cards in play to prevent a daring thief from making off with an estimated $15,000 worth of Magic cards, in an overnight robbery at a comics store in Moncton, N.B.

Security camera footage shows a hooded individual breaking into the Comic Hunter store on Moncton's Main Street around 4 a.m. on Friday. Investigators say the thief smashed out the glass bottom of the shop door, climbed through the hole, then broke into a display case containing valuable "Magic: The Gathering" trading cards.

The thief made off with a number of highly valuable cards, including a few ultra-rare Black Lotus cards priced at $6,300 each.

Store manager Jonathan Armstrong says it would be very easy for the thief to quickly sell the stolen property to international collectors.

"There's a huge global market online," he told CTV Atlantic. "Basically, where you can buy and sell anything online, legal or illegal, there's a market for cards too."

Police who viewed security footage say the suspect was likely familiar with the shop, because he seemed to move with purpose.

"There's a good possibility because of what they took and what they only took," Sgt. Andre Pepin, of Codiac RCMP, told CTV Atlantic.

Armstrong also believes the thief has been to the store before. "He knew exactly where to go and that was one of the first things he grabbed."

Black Lotus cards sell for several thousand dollars online, depending on their condition. On Monday, one mint-condition card was listed on eBay for $63,120 (US$48,000), while a few near-mint-condition cards were up for $6,000-$8,000 Canadian.

Police say they are still gathering evidence, and the investigation is ongoing.

The actual theft took place approximately 100 metres from the Codiac RCMP detachment, in downtown Moncton.

In a Facebook post on Friday, Comic Hunter staff urged citizens of Moncton to be on the lookout for anyone "gloating about a big haul of Magic cards."

According to the shop, the suspect is "5'5-5'8, scrawny, wearing a white/grey/light-coloured hooded jacket. Maybe glasses."

With files from CTV Atlantic