At least six collectibles shops in the Houston area have been burgled within two weeks, with Pokémon cards, sealed products and cash among the items taken.
The break-ins have affected businesses in Houston, Cypress and Spring, leaving owners to review their security and question whether the incidents are connected. Houston police and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office are investigating.
Houston collectibles store burglaries target high-value cards
The latest reported incident took place on Tuesday morning at Knight Gaming near North Fry Road in Cypress. Owner Scott Evey said a suspect smashed a window and stole about 200 individual Pokémon cards, as well as several boxes of products.
Evey estimated the loss and damage at about $6,000. The shop had been open for only around two months, making the break-in a serious setback for the new business.
“All the capital that we spent was out of our pocket to get this door open,” Evey said. “Anything that happens outside of the daily grind is affecting our business really, really bad.”
Customers returned to the shop after the burglary to support it by buying products, which Evey said had been an emotional show of solidarity.
Other affected businesses include Aegis Creative, Elite TCG, Nakama Collectibles, Madrat Toys and Kumarama. Elite TCG was targeted on 10 September, when four suspects allegedly used a crowbar to force their way through the front door and stole inventory valued at more than $20,000.
Nakama Collectibles was burgled on 16 September, followed by Madrat Toys on 17 September and Kumarama on 21 September.
At Nakama, employee Aaron Compton said the intruders cut the power before breaking the glass in the front door, apparently to disrupt the shop’s surveillance system. More than $1,500 worth of products and cash were taken, he said.
“Be very careful at night,” Compton warned. “Make sure you put away everything, like the high-end valuable cards and the money, and make sure you have a good security system.”
Houston police separately told ABC13 that two people had been detained near the scene of the Madrat Toys burglary, although they had not been charged in connection with that break-in. The search for other suspects and the investigation were continuing.
Shop owners say the cards are attractive to thieves because their value can rise sharply when they are professionally graded. Evey said a card bought for about $5 could potentially sell for hundreds of dollars after grading.
Businesses are now adding cameras, stronger locks and safes, while moving valuable stock and cash out of their premises overnight. Store owners believe the recent Houston collectibles store burglaries may form part of a linked series, but authorities have not confirmed that.
