Thieves swiped thousands of dollars worth of Pokémon cards in another Lower Mainland hobby shop break-in earlier this week, and the owner of the business says it’s the third time his shop has been targeted in the six months since it opened. “It just feels like we just got back on our feet restocking the store,” said Leon Chan, owner of Captured Cards on Imperial Street in Burnaby. “And then, here we go again. It seems like we can’t catch a break.” The latest break-in occurred around 2:30 a.m. Wednesday, and the thieves were quick, Chan said. They made it in and out in about three minutes, stealing $5,000 to $6,000 worth of cards and a display case. “Really, the hardest part is the mental part of it,” Chan said. “You work really hard to bring your dream to life, but then, you know, here are people trying to take away your livelihood.” The thefts at Captured Cards are part of a larger trend of thieves targeting trading cards, especially Pokémon cards, in break-ins across the Lower Mainland. Other thefts so far this year have occurred at House of Cards in Abbotsford and Everything J & J in New Westminster Chan says the tight-knit gaming community has come together to support his shop, with one customer even donating his own Pokémon cards to help replenish the stolen stock. Police are investigating, and Chan said they told him a task force has been formed to look into the string of break-ins at his and other stores.
