Particle.news
Download on the App Store
6 ARTICLES
·
last mo.

Vancouver Police Arrest Suspect in Bear-Spray Robberies Targeting Pokémon Card Sellers

Police urge meetings at a monitored exchange site due to rising thefts of valuable trading cards.

Image
Image
Pokemon cards, bearing 'little monsters' that attract children as well as adult superfans, have soared in value in recent years. Collecting Pokemon cards has become a form of investment beyond collecting, trading or playing — but their values have also attracted the attention of criminal elements.
Image

Overview

  • Vancouver police report five robberies since March 23 in which sellers arranged Facebook Marketplace meetups to sell Pokémon cards, were bear-sprayed, and had their cards stolen.
  • Investigators posed as a seller in an online sting and arrested a suspect when he arrived for the arranged deal.
  • The suspect is in his 20s, is believed to have acted alone, and was released on conditions while charge assessment proceeds with at least four robbery counts expected.
  • Police say they recovered two cards worth about $2,000 and estimate the total value of stolen cards at about $6,000.
  • The VPD urges the public to use its Safe Exchange Location outside headquarters at 2120 Cambie Street as specialty card shops across B.C. have also reported recent high-value thefts.