Pokémon card robbery suspect arrested in Vancouver

Some Pokémon cards have become so valuable, thieves are breaking into shops and, in some cases, turning to violence against individuals.

A man accused of stealing high-value Pokémon cards from people he met through Facebook Marketplace has been arrested by Vancouver police.

Officers say they responded to five incidents in five days, in which victims agreed to meet with a man to sell the collectible cards, only to be robbed.

“The suspect would arrange to meet sellers in a public place and, instead of buying the cards, would allegedly use bear spray on the victims, steal the cards, and run off,” said Staff Sgt. Ryan Campbell in a news release Wednesday.

Police say in one of the incidents, the victim managed to chase down the suspect and recover their card. Speaking with media on Thursday, Campbell said the combined value of all the stolen cards is believed to be about $6,000.

The suspect, who is in his 20s, was arrested on March 27 after unknowingly communicating with Vancouver police online. Campbell said they posted a card for sale, and were able to successfully make contact, and set up a meeting. The suspect was taken into custody without incident, with the help of the emergency response section.

Two of the stolen cards, with a total value of about $2,000, have been recovered by police.

The suspect, who police believe was acting alone, has been released from custody on conditions, as the investigation continues.

Police say they anticipate they will be recommending charges in the near future, including at least four counts of robbery.

The theft of Pokémon cards is on the rise in B.C., and across the country. One hobby shop in Burnaby was just targeted for the third time, after only being open for six months. Once considered a children’s game, Pokémon cards have become highly sought-after collectibles since the COVID-19 pandemic, with rare cards being sold off for thousands and in some cases millions of dollars.

Police are encouraging anyone who is buying, selling or trading items with someone they don’t know to use their safe exchange location, which is right in front of the VPD headquarters on Cambie Street.

“It is well-lit and we have monitored security cameras,” said Const. Darren Wong.

Investigators in Vancouver believe there may be additional victims who haven’t come forward yet, and are asking anyone with information to call 604-717-2541.

With files from CTV’s Andrew Johnson.