San Jose, California – In the midst of a rainy night, thieves targeted Tofu’s Trading and made off with over 35,000 valuable Pokémon cards. The daring crime took place in a mere 10-minute window during the early hours of January 24th, leaving the store’s owners, Amy Simpson and her partner, in shock.
The stolen cards, ranging from just a few cents to several hundred dollars each, were part of the international Pokémon craze that took off during the height of the pandemic lockdowns. The surge in interest was driven by the need for a feel-good activity during isolation, as well as by collectors and card graders cashing in on their old collections.
Despite the gravity of the situation, Simpson and her partner found a way to inject some humor into the unfortunate event. They edited the surveillance footage of the theft, overlaying funny sounds and icons to mock the criminals as they crawled around the store. This lighthearted approach to a serious situation resulted in a video that went viral on social media.
The timing of the theft, while unfortunate, was somewhat fortuitous for Simpson and her partner. They were expecting the release of a significant number of high-end collections just a day after the theft. “It’s like a blessing in disguise,” Simpson said.
The growing interest in Pokémon cards has also unfortunately attracted criminal activities, with reports of similar thefts happening not only at specialized card stores like Tofu’s Trading but also at mainstream retailers and even the Pokémon company itself. As the authorities work to gather information about the crime, Simpson and her partner are still evaluating the cost of the stolen merchandise for the insurance report.
Any individuals with relevant information about the theft are urged to contact the San Jose Police Department at 408-277-8911.