Poké-gone: Montgomery County store hit with $9,000 theft of Pokémon cards

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The Pennsylvania State Police Skippack Station is investigating the theft of more than $9,000 worth of Pokémon cards from Nashcards in Trappe Borough.

Authorities allege an Asian male in his mid-20s walked into the store on the morning of May 4 requesting to see some of the merchandise. The suspect then fled the store and left the scene in a tan SUV.

According to police, the man stole a 2021 Pokémon JPN Gengar VMAX card worth approximately $2,500; a 2005 Pokémon Gold Star Metagross Delta Species card worth about $2,850; and a sealed Pokémon Base Set XY Booster Box worth roughly $4,200.

Pennsylvania State Police are requesting that anyone with information reach out.

The spiking popularity of Pokémon cards

The Pokémon franchise began with the launch of a pair of Game Boy games in 1996, followed by the trading card game and eventually a television series.

The market for cards is booming. A rare Pokémon card in pristine condition can score collectors thousands — and in some cases, millions — of dollars.

According to Fortune, the value of an average Pokémon card increased by 46% in 2025, outpacing the value of stocks like Nvidia.

The compulsion among resellers and scalpers to “catch ‘em all” has been so sharp that it has been difficult for kids to jump into the hobby and play the tabletop game attached to the cards.