Over $11,000 worth of Pokemon cards were stolen in Japan in under 60 seconds.
As reported by Japanese outlet FNN, and relayed to English-speaking audiences from journalist and Tokyo Vice author Jake Adelstein in the tweet below, a robbery at a store in Ikebukuro, Tokyo took place on New Year's Eve. The target of the balaclava-clad duo? Over 1.5 million Yen's worth of Pokemon cards, equalling roughly $11,000.
In Japan, within a minute two robbers snatched 1.5 million yen worth of Pokemon cards….but they didn’t snatch them all Gotta snatch them all, dudes! #Pokemon #Punny #PokemonPoachers @JezebelKat 🫣 https://t.co/Nc3SierOtgJanuary 5, 2023
What's more, the FNN report indicates that up to 100 total Pokemon cards may have been stolen in the robbery. If the robbery itself took under 60 seconds, as FNN and Adelstein indicate, that's an average of one Pokemon card stolen in less than every second that the robbery lasted for.
1.5 million Yen's worth of Pokemon cards may have been taken in the robbery, but according to FNN, it's actually going to cost the Ikebukuro store 2 million Yen just to replace the smashed glace cases that were housing the cards themselves. That's a hefty price tag to be left holding in the aftermath of a robbery.
The FNN report reveals that Tokyo Metropolitan Police are still on the hunt for the culprits, who haven't yet been identified. Security cameras in the store itself might've caught the duo on tape, but it doesn't appear any details about the pair have been obtained right now.
The store's chief manager told FNN that he "can't forgive the culprits" due in part to the robbery taking place right before the New Year.
This news comes right after Pokemon announced Ash and Pikachu's adventure would be drawing to a close after 25 years.
