Man arrested for allegedly stealing $50K worth of Pokemon cards from storage unit

A 52-year-old man has been arrested and charged for the suspected robbery of Pokemon cards worth around $50,000 from a storage unit.

With Pokemon card and general Trading Card Game prices skyrocketing over the years, they have become increasingly targeted by thieves.

Whether it be the theft of $300,000 worth of Magic cards at America’s biggest TCG event or just a small group trying to steal 35,000 Pokemon cards from a local store.

Now, Bellevue Police Department has reported they have arrested a man aged 52 on suspicion of stealing Pokemon cards worth up to $50,000 from a residential storage locker.

Man arrested on suspicion of stealing $50K Pokemon Cards

According to their reports, on January 23, 2024, a man by the name of Kelly B. Wick was pulled over by a Kirkland Police Officer after they “noticed a white pickup truck driving with a registration that had expired over three years prior.”

During the traffic stop, they realized that “despite the heavy rain at the time, several cardboard boxes filling the truck’s bed were dry.” The officer found that the boxes were full of Pokemon cards and merchandise, which were addressed to a resident of a nearby apartment building.

Bellevue Police Department

Photo provided by Bellevue Police Department of the pick-up truck filled with stolen Pokemon cards.

After calling the resident, Wick was soon arrested after the owner confirmed that the cards were stolen from their storage locker. The victim has claimed that the cards are worth between $30,000 to $50,000 – including the rare Japanese Detective Pikachu and 25th Anniversary Collection packs.

In the days since the crime, Bellevue Police Detectives discovered video evidence of a man believed to be Wick stealing the cards from the locker. He was then placed into King County Jail and has been charged with first-degree theft, as well as second-degree burglary.

Pokemon card thefts in particular have continued to become a growing trend and have proved to not just be exclusive to America. In Amsterdam, numerous employees were suspended after allegedly stealing special Van-Gogh-style Pokemon cards.