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A Massachusetts man has been arrested for allegedly stealing $113,000 worth of Pokémon cards and collectibles from a shop in a smash-and-grab heist.
Richard Jovahn Nunes, 24, was taken into custody in Taunton on Monday and charged with six counts of receiving stolen property over $1,200, the New Bedford Police Department said.
“I appreciate the support of the Taunton Police Department in helping bring this case to a successful resolution,” said police Chief Jason Thody. “I also want to thank Detective Nicole Rodriguez for her solid investigative work and persistence in following up on leads that ultimately led to an arrest and the recovery of stolen property.”
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A Massachusetts man allegedly stole more than $100,000 in Pokemon cards and collectibles from a shop. (New Bedford Police Department; iStock)
The investigation into the theft began on July 8 when officers responded to a break-in at 1st Edition Collectible.
Surveillance footage obtained by WPRI-TV shows someone wearing a hooded sweatshirt and a mask smashing through the glass front door. The suspect climbed through the shattered door and opened a display case before putting collectibles into a backpack and running back out the front door.
The theft lasted around 30 seconds, the report states.
On Monday, New Bedford police Detective Nicole Rodriguez got a lead after someone, later identified as Nunes, allegedly attempted to sell a Base Set Unlimited Green Wings Booster Box, valued at $30,000, which matched an item that was stolen during the burglary.
Later that day, Rodriguez was contacted by an unidentified location in Taunton that reported Nunes allegedly had tried selling Pokémon cards in a separate attempt, police said.
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A Pokémon GO app displayed on a smartphone with a Pokémon GO logo in the background. (Photo Illustration by Thiago Prudêncio/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
“Based on the rarity and value of the booster boxes involved, detectives determined that it was highly unlikely the same person would possess both without being connected to the original theft,” a police statement said.
Nunes was arrested soon after. At the time, he had a warrant for a felony, police said.
A search of an apartment where Nunes had been staying yielded a shoebox containing serialized and graded Pokémon cards matching those stolen from 1st Edition Collectibles, authorities said.
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The cards found in the apartment were identified as:
- 1999 Charizard 1st Edition (Grade 8.5) — valued at $12,232
- 2006 EX Charizard #100 (Grades 9 – Beckett and PSA) — valued at $10,600 each
- 2003 Skyridge Charizard (Grade 8.5) — valued at $7,131
- 1999 Base 1st Edition Blastoise (Grade 7.5) — valued at $2,000
- 1999 Charizard Holo Shadowless (Grade 9) — valued at $5,535
In a Facebook post, 1st Edition Collectibles thanked the police and other collectible shops in the area. The store also announced that proceeds from sales of its “Comeback Collection T-shirts” will be donated to charity.
“Crime Doesn’t Pay and Karma is Real,” the post states.
In Florida, a trading card shop took a big hit on Monday after a masked suspect broke into the business and stole nearly $30,000 worth of Pokémon cards. Within 75 seconds, a suspect stole between $25,000 and $30,000 worth of rare Pokémon cards, according to FOX 35 Orlando.