{"id":2032525,"date":"2026-07-08T08:46:25","date_gmt":"2026-07-08T05:46:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2032525"},"modified":"2026-07-08T08:46:25","modified_gmt":"2026-07-08T05:46:25","slug":"two-brothers-admit-to-stealing-more-than-71000-worth-of-pokemon-tcg-cards-after-failing-to-escape-the-police-and-hide-the-loot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2032525","title":{"rendered":"Two brothers admit to stealing more than \u00a371,000 worth of Pok\u00e9mon TCG cards after failing to escape the police and hide the loot"},"content":{"rendered":"<article class=\"article \" data-ads=\"true\" data-article-type=\"news\" data-article-group=\"news\" data-paywalled=\"false\" data-premium=\"false\" data-sponsored=\"false\" data-type=\"article\">\n<header class=\"article_header\" data-component=\"article-header\">\n<div class=\"breadcrumbs\">\n<nav class=\"nav_breadcrumbs\" data-component=\"nav-breadcrumbs\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\">\n<ul class=\"nav-links\">\n<li>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/\" data-active=\"false\"><br \/>\n                      Home<br \/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/news\" data-active=\"false\"><br \/>\n                      News<br \/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/tabletop-games\/pokemon-trading-card-game\" data-active=\"false\"><br \/>\n                      Pok\u00e9mon Trading Card Game<br \/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/nav><\/div>\n<div class=\"headline_details\" id=\"main-content\">\n<h1 class=\"title\">Two brothers admit to stealing more than \u00a371,000 worth of Pok\u00e9mon TCG cards after failing to escape the police and hide the loot<\/h1>\n<p class=\"strapline\">Pocket change.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"headline_asset\">\n<figure class=\"headline_image_wrapper\">\n<p>        <img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"headline_image\" src=\"https:\/\/assetsio.gnwcdn.com\/Pokemon-TCG-Pocket-Pikachu-full-art.jpg?width=570&amp;quality=85&amp;format=jpg&amp;dpr=3&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"Pok\u00e9mon TCG Pocket - Pikachu full art cropped\" loading=\"eager\" data-uri=\"Pokemon-TCG-Pocket-Pikachu-full-art.jpg\" data-lightbox width=\"570\" height=\"321\"><figcaption>\n          <span class=\"attribution\">Image credit: <cite>The Pok\u00e9mon Company<\/cite><\/span><br \/>\n        <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"metadata\">\n<div class=\"avatar\">\n<p>    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Fran Ruiz avatar\" src=\"https:\/\/assetsio.gnwcdn.com\/fran-j-ruiz-author.png?width=2048&amp;height=2048&amp;fit=bounds&amp;quality=85&amp;format=jpg&amp;auto=webp\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 1\" width=\"180\" height=\"180\"><\/p>\n<p>  <img alt=\"Fran Ruiz avatar\" data-autosize=\"crop_lossy\" data-uri=\"fran-j-ruiz-author.png\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 1\" width=\"180\" height=\"180\">\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"text\">\n<div class=\"byline\">\n                  <span class=\"article_type\" data-slug=\"news\"><br \/>\n                    News<br \/>\n                  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"by\">by<\/span> <span class=\"author\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/authors\/fran-ruiz\">Fran Ruiz<\/a><\/span>                    <span class=\"job_title\"><br \/>\n                      Contributor<br \/>\n                    <\/span>\n            <\/div>\n<div class=\"published_at\">\nPublished on <time datetime=\"2026-07-08T08:46:25+00:00\">July 8, 2026<\/time>              <\/div>\n<div class=\"comments\">\n      <a class=\"comments__link comments-bubble\" href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/pokemon-tcg-stock-stolen-in-cheshire-england?view=comments\" rel=\"nofollow\"><br \/>\n          1 comment<br \/>\n      <\/a>\n    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"mypop-header-wrapper\">\n<p><button class=\"mypop-button button wide\" data-state=\"follow\" data-type=\"tag\" data-uuid=\"742b4027-bb74-452e-b7e8-7a1b70c17ec0\" data-name=\"Poku00e9mon Trading Card Game\" data-follow-text=\"Follow Poku00e9mon Trading Card Game\" data-unfollow-text=\"Following Poku00e9mon Trading Card Game\" data-aria-follow-text=\"Follow Poku00e9mon Trading Card Game\" data-aria-unfollow-text=\"Following Poku00e9mon Trading Card Game\" data-popup=\"true\" data-force-login=\"true\" aria-label=\"Follow Pok\u00e9mon Trading Card Game\" title=\"Follow Pok\u00e9mon Trading Card Game\"><br \/>\n  Follow Pok\u00e9mon Trading Card Game<br \/>\n<\/button>          <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"article_body\" data-component=\"article-content\">\n<div class=\"article_body_content article-styling\">\n<p>Many of us are excited for Pok\u00e9mon TCG&#8217;s latest sets &#8211; including the massive <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/pokemon-tcg-30th-celebration-set\">30th anniversary one<\/a> &#8211; but a pair of brothers in Warrington, Cheshire, England took things too far when they stole over \u00a371,000 worth of loot across several collectibles stores.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cheshire.police.uk\/news\/cheshire\/news\/articles\/2026\/7\/two-men-plead-guilty-to-pokemon-thefts---gotta-catch-em-all\/\">Cheshire Police shared the news<\/a> (hat tip to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/pokemon-card-thieves-jailed-for-stealing-71000-stock-after-getaway-van-breakdown\">IGN<\/a>), stating the men, Keith and Shane Johnson, aged 33 and 37, had been caught following a break-in at Celestial Collectables, on Lovely Lane in Warrington. This was reported on the evening of the 8th April, 2026. &#8220;The shop specialises in rare and high value Pok\u00e9mon trading cards along with memorabilia&#8221; and other items.<\/p>\n<p>Crime scene investigators recovered a crowbar from the ransacked location. &#8220;The items stolen were mainly Pok\u00e9mon cards to the value of \u00a362,000 and damage caused to the shop itself was in excess of \u00a33,000.&#8221; Thanks to CCTV, the police began tracking a van with cloned plates. After some enquiries, it was revealed the van travelled from Birmingham to Warrington on the day of the burglary.<\/p>\n<p>After connecting other hits &#8211; with damage caused above \u00a39,000 &#8211; to the same brothers, the police followed a different vehicle, a Nissan X-Trail they used to depart a previous location. Eventually, &#8220;West Midlands Police informed Cheshire colleagues that another burglary had taken place in Warwickshire and the Nissan X-Trail involved in the burglary was parked outside Keith&#8217;s.&#8221; At the place, the keys to the van used in the Warrington burglary, stolen property from the original store, the keys to the Nissan X-Trail, and some of the clothes used during the first break-in were found.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"injection_placeholder\" data-position=\"1\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p>The end result? 29 months in prison for Keith Johnson. Shane is considered an accomplice &#8220;and will be sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court on 31st July&#8221; after admitting to the same offences. The Cheshire Police jokingly added &#8220;gotta catch &#8217;em all!&#8221; as part of the report&#8217;s title.<\/p>\n<p>Needless to say, the Pok\u00e9mon TCG fever is driving folks to break the rules. From theft to the ongoing issue with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/nintendo-president-says-the-pokemon-company-will-take-measures-to-respond-to-widespread-card-scalping-issues\">scalping<\/a>, Pok\u00e9mon cards have become valuable targets for both criminals and people looking to make &#8216;easy&#8217; money by reselling sealed Pok\u00e9mon TCG products after they become scarce. Meanwhile, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/pokemon-games-tcg-sales-2026\">The Pok\u00e9mon Company is printing billions of new cards<\/a> like there&#8217;s no tomorrow.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"preferred-source\" data-component=\"preferred-source\">\nLove Eurogamer.net? Make us a <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\">Preferred Source on Google<\/a> and catch more of our coverage in your feeds.  <\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"article_body\" data-component=\"article-content\">\n<div class=\"article_body_content article-styling\">\n<p>Many of us are excited for Pok\u00e9mon TCG&#8217;s latest sets &#8211; including the massive <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/pokemon-tcg-30th-celebration-set\">30th anniversary one<\/a> &#8211; but a pair of brothers in Warrington, Cheshire, England took things too far when they stole over \u00a371,000 worth of loot across several collectibles stores.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cheshire.police.uk\/news\/cheshire\/news\/articles\/2026\/7\/two-men-plead-guilty-to-pokemon-thefts---gotta-catch-em-all\/\">Cheshire Police shared the news<\/a> (hat tip to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/pokemon-card-thieves-jailed-for-stealing-71000-stock-after-getaway-van-breakdown\">IGN<\/a>), stating the men, Keith and Shane Johnson, aged 33 and 37, had been caught following a break-in at Celestial Collectables, on Lovely Lane in Warrington. This was reported on the evening of the 8th April, 2026. &#8220;The shop specialises in rare and high value Pok\u00e9mon trading cards along with memorabilia&#8221; and other items.<\/p>\n<p>Crime scene investigators recovered a crowbar from the ransacked location. &#8220;The items stolen were mainly Pok\u00e9mon cards to the value of \u00a362,000 and damage caused to the shop itself was in excess of \u00a33,000.&#8221; Thanks to CCTV, the police began tracking a van with cloned plates. After some enquiries, it was revealed the van travelled from Birmingham to Warrington on the day of the burglary.<\/p>\n<p>After connecting other hits &#8211; with damage caused above \u00a39,000 &#8211; to the same brothers, the police followed a different vehicle, a Nissan X-Trail they used to depart a previous location. Eventually, &#8220;West Midlands Police informed Cheshire colleagues that another burglary had taken place in Warwickshire and the Nissan X-Trail involved in the burglary was parked outside Keith&#8217;s.&#8221; At the place, the keys to the van used in the Warrington burglary, stolen property from the original store, the keys to the Nissan X-Trail, and some of the clothes used during the first break-in were found.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"injection_placeholder\" data-position=\"1\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p>The end result? 29 months in prison for Keith Johnson. Shane is considered an accomplice &#8220;and will be sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court on 31st July&#8221; after admitting to the same offences. The Cheshire Police jokingly added &#8220;gotta catch &#8217;em all!&#8221; as part of the report&#8217;s title.<\/p>\n<p>Needless to say, the Pok\u00e9mon TCG fever is driving folks to break the rules. From theft to the ongoing issue with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/nintendo-president-says-the-pokemon-company-will-take-measures-to-respond-to-widespread-card-scalping-issues\">scalping<\/a>, Pok\u00e9mon cards have become valuable targets for both criminals and people looking to make &#8216;easy&#8217; money by reselling sealed Pok\u00e9mon TCG products after they become scarce. Meanwhile, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/pokemon-games-tcg-sales-2026\">The Pok\u00e9mon Company is printing billions of new cards<\/a> like there&#8217;s no tomorrow.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Home News Pok\u00e9mon Trading Card Game Two brothers admit to stealing more than \u00a371,000 worth of Pok\u00e9mon TCG cards after failing to escape the police and hide the loot Pocket change. Image credit: The Pok\u00e9mon Company News by Fran Ruiz Contributor Published on July 8, 2026 1 comment Follow Pok\u00e9mon Trading Card Game Many of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,253],"class_list":["post-2032525","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-eurogamer-net"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2032525","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2032525"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2032525\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2032525"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2032525"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2032525"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}