Nostalgia and seven-figure sales fuel wave of Pokemon card thefts across Canada

Terri Settle, owner of Terri's Trinkets and Toys in Winnipeg, had been experiencing Pokemon card thefts at her store. In August, a thief walked in, grabbed a box full of the cards, and fled. Settle managed to retrieve the cards with help from her employee, who had zip-tied the box to a shelf as a deterrent. However, two weeks later, on September 8, someone sneaked in through a vent, broke through a wall, and stole around 20,500 Pokemon cards.

The theft cost Settle $2,500, and she plans to stop selling Pokemon cards after her remaining inventory is sold, citing the risk as the reason.

Across Canada and the United States, there has been a string of Pokemon card thefts, resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses. In a July 2024 robbery in Ontario, a worker was struck in the head by a thief fleeing with three Pokemon cards worth roughly $5,000. In central Alberta, a store owner lost a binder of cards worth around $18,000 in a theft last month.

The most valuable card mentioned was a black-coloured, cat-like Umbreon ex monster. Police are urging Albertans to be cautious when purchasing Pokemon cards online, particularly on platforms like Facebook Marketplace.

University of Alberta professor Utku Akkoc explains that the thefts are not surprising, as the cards have nostalgic value for many people. Owning Pokemon cards allows adults to relive their childhood memories. Research has shown that nostalgia can lead people to spend more money. As for the high value of some Pokemon cards, Akkoc notes that limited supply can drive up the price.

One example is the Pikachu Illustrator card, which sold for a record US $16.5 million. The card, sold by social media personality Logan Paul, was originally designed by the creator of Pikachu but was never intended for public sale. It was given away as a prize during an illustration contest in 1998. Trading cards are graded by companies like Professional Sports Authenticator on a scale of 1-10, with a perfect card receiving a 10.