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Masked thieves steal 80,000 euros worth of Pokémon cards in France
🇬🇷 Greece /Crime & Justice

Masked thieves steal 80,000 euros worth of Pokémon cards in France

From Ta Nea · () Greek

Translated from Greek, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News From a news agency Context piece
  • Masked individuals broke into a specialized store in central-eastern France, stealing Pokémon cards valued at approximately 80,000 euros.
  • The thieves forced entry into the store and fled with hundreds of cards before an alarm could fully activate.
  • This incident is part of a trend of high-value Pokémon card thefts in France and internationally.

A daring nighttime burglary has targeted a specialized store in central-eastern France, resulting in the theft of hundreds of Pokémon cards estimated to be worth nearly 80,000 euros. The incident occurred early Thursday morning in Bourg-en-Bresse when four masked individuals forced their way into the Smogtrade store.

The perpetrators managed to grab a significant haul of collectible cards, predominantly from the popular Japanese franchise Pokémon, before making their escape in a vehicle. The store's manager, who chose to remain anonymous, confirmed the value of the stolen goods to AFP news agency. The store's alarm system was triggered, prompting the thieves' hasty departure.

many hundreds

— Smogtrade ManagerThe store manager described the quantity of stolen Pokémon cards.

Pokémon cards have seen a surge in popularity among collectors in recent years, with some rare cards fetching exorbitant prices. This has unfortunately made them a target for thieves. This latest heist follows a pattern of similar crimes in France and abroad. In February 2024, three men were sentenced to prison for stealing tens of thousands of Pokémon cards valued at around 100,000 euros in Rennes.

More recently, in January, a specialized store in the United Kingdom was targeted, with Pokémon cards worth $100,000 (approximately 87,000 euros) stolen. The immense value associated with these collectibles was further highlighted in February when a rare Pikachu card sold at auction for a record-breaking $16.5 million (14.3 million euros).

almost all

— Smogtrade ManagerThe store manager specified that nearly all the stolen cards were Pokémon-related.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Ta Nea in Greek. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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