{
  "id": 9976716,
  "title": "Repeat Pokemon heist pushes Winnipeg owner to quit",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/26/repeat-pokemon-heist-pushes-winnipeg-owner-to-quit",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-26T12:27:06.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Global News",
    "slug": "global-news",
    "url": "https://globalnews.ca/news/12074276/repeat-pokemon-heist-winnipeg-owner-quit/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Winnipeg business owner Terri Settle has decided to cease selling Pokemon cards after repeated thefts, according to a recent report. In August, a thief stole a box of the cards from her store, Terri’s Trinkets and Toys, but was later apprehended and returned the cards. However, two weeks later, on September 8, someone broke into the store via the ventilation system and stole approximately 20,500 Pokemon cards. Settle stated that the theft has cost her $2,500 and has decided to stop selling the cards altogether, as the risk is simply too great. The incidents are not isolated; similar thefts have been reported across Canada and the United States, resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses. In Ontario, a worker was struck by a robber fleeing with three Pokemon cards worth around $5,000, while in central Alberta, a store owner lost a binder of cards estimated to be worth $18,000. Police in Alberta are now urging Albertans to be cautious when purchasing Pokemon cards online, particularly from platforms like Facebook Marketplace. Experts suggest that the thefts are not surprising due to the nostalgic appeal of Pokemon cards, with some people buying them to relive their childhood memories. The franchise, which began in 1995, has grown to include animated shows, mobile games, trading cards, and other merchandise. The most expensive card ever sold at auction was Logan Paul's Pikachu Illustrator, which fetched a record US $16.5 million. However, the card is not typically available for public purchase and was originally given as a prize in a Japanese magazine contest in 1998. Pokemon card collectors often do not insure their collections due to the high costs, meaning they may not recover any stolen cards.",
  "summary": "Terri Settle says she thought she solved her Pokemon card theft problem in August. Now she said she is planning to stop selling the cards after the ones she has left are sold.",
  "key_points": [
    "Winnipeg business owner Terri Settle quits selling Pokemon cards due to repeated thefts.",
    "Thief stole 20,500 Pokemon cards from her store on September 8, costing her $2,500.",
    "Similar thefts reported across Canada and US, resulting in hundreds of thousands in losses."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}