A Vancouver trading card shop is cleaning up after a brazen break-in that was caught on camera. Security video from Royal Card Shop in Dunbar shows masked suspects arriving at the business just before 3 a.m. Tuesday. The suspects appear to use a crowbar to force open the store’s rear entrance before making their way inside. Minutes later, surveillance video shows the group loading a large black safe into a truck and driving away. When staff arrived later that morning, they found the store in disarray. “It was like out of a movie,” said manager Patrick Feng. “Like when a bank gets robbed, there’s money flying everywhere. When I got here, there’s just cards all over the floor.” According to staff, the stolen safe contained between $60,000 and $80,000 worth of Pokémon cards, including at least one card valued at nearly $19,000. Store owner Mark Li said reviewing the surveillance footage was difficult, but he remains focused on recovering from the theft. “I can be depressed about this. Like, yeah, there is a loss. But in my mind is, how do I solve this?” he said. The damage to the store’s back entrance remained visible Wednesday, as as staff continued cleaning up and taking inventory. The Vancouver Police Department is investigating and released the surveillance video along with an appeal for information Wednesday. Authorities said the suspects, described as white men, used a stolen Ford pickup truck and tow straps to remove the safe. Investigators said the vehicle was found abandoned later that morning in Surrey, the engine still running. “The vehicle was later transported to the VPD property garage for forensic analysis,” the department said in a news release. Pokémon cards, once little more than a schoolyard game for children, have skyrocketed in value, making them a desirable target for thieves looking to cash in on the craze. Some B.C. hobby shops have been burglarized multiple times for the trading cards, while private sellers have been assaulted and robbed of their card collections. While insurance may help offset some of the financial losses for Royal Card Shop, staff say their biggest concern is for the people who entrusted the store with their collections. “We don’t want our customers to be sad that they lost their cards,” said Li. “We will be doing the best where we can for them.” Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Vancouver police at 604-717-0610.
