LCS Thefts Surging: Advanced Tactics Used to Steal TCG & Sports Cards
A growing and alarming trend threatens the collectibles space as thieves are using intricate and, at times, dangerous methods to get Pokémon cards, sports cards, and other collectibles. In just the span of a few weeks, well over $500K in cards have been stolen across US cities including Los Angeles, Houston, Fargo, and elsewhere.
RELATED: $10K worth of cards stolen from Tom Brady's NYC CardVault store
Pokémon cards are a primary target
On December 17th and again 10 days later, R.E.V. Collectibles in Houston, Texas was hit by two burglars who made off with upwards of $30K worth of Pokémon cards between both robberies. Stolen items include numerous individual cards, two Charizard Ultra Premium Collection boxes, Paldea Evolved and Prismatic Evolutions Pokémon Center Elite Trainer Boxes, and more.
Los Angeles is a hotbed for multiple similar crimes
On Thursday, December 11, 2025, around 5 a.m., thieves broke into Cards & Coffee, a card store in Cabalas, CA just outside of Los Angeles. According to local news reports, the thieves broke into the neighboring restaurant and then tunneled into the collectibles store, robbing it of roughly $30K worth of sports cards and Pokémon cards.
Among the sports cards were rare cards of Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Michael Jordan, and a few vintage baseball cards. The Los Angeles Police Department is still searching for the suspect or suspects.
The very next day, thieves used the same tactics to ransack Blu Sports Cards in Glendale and made off with $100K worth of cards.
According to the store owner, the robbers broke into the nail salon next door then tunneled their way into the hobby shop which allowed them to bypass the security alarm.
Fast forward a few weeks and around 10 p.m. on Sunday, January 4, 2026, a Pokémon card collector encountered armed robbers who took off with his briefcase containing roughly $300K of rare Pokémon cards. The collector was held at gunpoint as he was walking to an underground parking garage after leaving RWT Collective in Sawtelle, California.
This took place just hours after thieves equipped with chainsaws conducted a smash-and-grab at Simi Sports Cards in Simi Valley, CA and made off with roughly $50K worth of cards.
Pokémon card theft may be the biggest recent story, but thieves are also eager to get their hands on valuable sports cards.
Da Bears... cards are missing
State Line Sports Cards, located in Third Lake, Illinois, north of Chicago, was hit twice by the same crook on Friday January 2, 2026.
During the store’s grand opening, a man wearing a hat snuck away with a Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze Black Pandora Downtown worth about $4,000. This “mastermind” then changed hats and left, only to return 13-minutes later to make off with at least one more yet-to-be identified card and a 2025 Panini Black Hobby Box.
Chicago Bears legend and Hall of Famer Dan “Danimal” Hampton also attended the grand opening and provided free autographs to fans.
Thankfully the suspect was identified and charged with one count of retail theft in Lake County Circuit Court.
Three weeks before Christmas, two men broke into 217 Comics, Cards, and Games in Springfield, Illinois, and stole about $20K worth of cards. Luckily one man was identified through security footage and has since been charged with burglary, theft and criminal damage to property.
However, according to local sources, the investigation into the burglary continues as detectives work to identify the second suspect involved.
An Inside Job
It isn't just outsiders breaking into stores, but even some employees are getting in on high value card theft. In late December 2025 the co-owner of Triple Diamond Sports Cards in Fargo, ND filed a claim that roughly $30K of cash and sports cards had started to go missing since September. Investigators charged a former manager with the theft.
With soaring popularity and prices in the collectibles market, hobby shops are an obvious target. This troubling trend not only damages these small businesses but also casts a gloomy shadow over the industry.
Conor is a life long sports card enthusiast who started collecting in the early ’90s, inspired by hometown heroes like Larry Bird, Paul Pierce, Tom Brady, and David Ortiz. Like many ’90s hoops fans, he also started building (and continues to build) a modest Michael Jordan collection.