Thief steals $30K in Pokémon cards from DeLand store in 75-second smash-and-grab

Thief steals $30K in Pokémon cards from Florida store

A thief made off with up to $30,000 worth of Pokémon cards during a smash-and-grab burglary at a trading card shop in DeLand, marking the latest in a string of similar heists across Central Florida.

DELAND, Fla. - A thief made off with up to $30,000 worth of Pokémon cards during a smash-and-grab burglary at a trading card shop in Volusia County, marking the latest in a string of similar heists across Central Florida.

What we know:

A thief stole an estimated $25,000 to $30,000 worth of rare Pokémon cards during a smash-and-grab burglary at Gem Mint Cards in DeLand. Surveillance footage shows the masked suspect breaking in during the early morning hours, bypassing other merchandise and heading straight for high-value Pokémon cards.

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX LOCAL APP

 The entire theft took less than 75 seconds. The store has since repaired its entrance and resumed operations, though the loss remains significant.

What we don't know:

The suspect remains at large, and no arrests have been made. While some of the stolen cards were graded and carry unique serial numbers, it’s unclear whether any leads have developed or if the cards will be tracked through the resale market. Police have not confirmed if the DeLand burglary is connected to similar recent thefts at other card stores across Central Florida.

The backstory:

The break-in is part of a troubling trend affecting trading card stores from Gainesville to Jacksonville, including Orlando, Ocala and Belleview. In each case, thieves targeted rare collectibles — particularly Pokémon cards — that can fetch high prices on the secondary market. As collector interest has surged in recent years, the value of certain cards has skyrocketed, making them lucrative targets for thieves.

What they're saying:

The break-in happened in the early morning hours, and although Gem Mint Cards have already replaced its shattered front door and cleaned up the scene, owner Christen Wybo said the financial hit remains steep.

"Right now, with the market the way it is, people see a quick money turnaround," Wybo said. 

The suspect appeared to know exactly what he was looking for, targeting high-value Pokémon cards rather than other trading card games. Among the stolen items were several rare cards, including one graded a "Gem Mint 10." 

"That means it's basically a perfect card in grading and condition," Wybo explained. "It happened to fall forward and was stuck against the glass. It’s one of the few things he didn’t grab."

SIGN-UP FOR FOX 35'S BREAKING NEWS, DAILY NEWS NEWSLETTERS

Shops from Gainesville to Jacksonville — including Orlando, Ocala and Belleview — have reported similar burglaries in recent weeks, each with tens of thousands of dollars in merchandise stolen.

"It’s terrible that the stress of this has to be associated with something that’s supposed to be fun and open to everybody," Wybo added.