Wave of Pokemon card robberies in San Francisco spark alarm across Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- A surge in violent robberies and high-stakes heists targeting collectible trading cards, including the popular Pokémon cards, has put local authorities and shop owners on high alert across the Bay Area following a violent ambush in San Francisco.

San Francisco police released an arrest video showing a transaction for Pokémon cards that turned violent on May 28 around 3:16 p.m. near Holyoke and Felton streets.

A victim arranged to meet an individual connected with online to sell a collection of trading cards.

While inside a park, a suspect examined the cards and pretended to pay, then pepper-sprayed the victim and fled with the collection toward a vehicle containing two additional suspects.

The victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was treated at the scene.

Investigators quickly tracked the getaway vehicle using surveillance technology, locating it on Friday, May 29, near Van Ness Avenue and Mission Street.

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Police followed the suspects to the area of O'Farrell and Polk streets, where officers moved in and arrested two juvenile male suspects.

The juveniles were booked into the Juvenile Justice Center on suspicion of second-degree robbery and conspiracy.

Officers later recovered evidence from the vehicle and, on Saturday, May 30, served a search warrant at a residence tied to the suspects to seize additional evidence.

Mayor Daniel Lurie praised the arrests, calling it "good police work" and thanking the officers involved.The incident is part of a broader trend of trading card-related crimes drawing regional attention.

Last weekend, thieves stole about $15,000 worth of cards were stolen from The Card Lab, a Brentwood store, in roughly 39 seconds.

Store owners state that rising card values have turned their businesses into targets.

Trading card values have surged since the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighted by a Pokémon card that sold for a record $16.5 million earlier this year.

"Definitely. You got to take with everything in here with precaution," said Reggie Reyes of Classic Materials Sports & Collectibles.

At his San Francisco shop, Reyes demonstrated how grading significantly increases a card's value.

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"I'd say raw, when it's not graded, it's around like $60 - 70. But since this graded ten perfect condition all around it we have it at $650," Reyes said, pointing to a card in a display case.

Reyes noted that built-in security features, such as serial numbers and barcodes, can help track stolen items.

"When the card gets stolen, there's a queue or a barcode. And if you did take a picture of it, people can be a lookout, keep a lookout on it, and sometimes they don't return back. But I've seen incidents when they are able to get their card back," Reyes said.

The San Francisco police investigation remains active, and authorities urge anyone with information about the robbery to contact them.