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Fox News
7 days ago
- Fox News
Massachusetts man allegedly busted with huge haul of rare Pokemon cards after daring theft
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." 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. "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. The cards found in the apartment were identified as: 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.
USA Today
17-07-2025
- USA Today
Collectibles shop loses more than $100K worth of Pokémon cards in burglary
"The community outreach, it's been the silver lining throughout this whole process," Will Gilmour said. A Massachusetts collectibles shop is preparing to reopen after more than $100,000 worth of Pokémon cards were stolen last week, a store owner says. Between $110,000 and $130,000 worth of individual first edition and boxed Pokémon cards were stolen from 1st Edition Collectibles, a toy and game shop in New Bedford, Massachusetts, on Tuesday, July 8, co-owner Will Gilmour told USA TODAY. A person broke into the store at around 2:30 a.m. local time, shoving the high-priced items inside a backpack before making his escape. 1st Edition Collectibles specializes in collectible trading card games, with an emphasis on Pokémon. Gilmour said the shop also sells figurines, like Funko Pops, vintage video games and consoles, and sports trading cards. After being closed for more than a week to clean up and install a new security system, 1st Edition Collectibles is reopening on Friday, July 18. The re-opening coincides with the release of the new Pokémon trading card deck "Scarlet & Violet – Black Bolt" and "Scarlet & Violet – White Flare," which the shop is celebrating. As of Wednesday, July 16, the burglary remained under investigation and no arrests had been made, New Bedford Police Department Media Relations Specialist Holly Huntoon told USA TODAY. Police: Man stabbed with 'broken shards of glass' after fight over Pokemon cards What was stolen? The following items were stolen from 1st Edition Collectibles, per the shop's social media: 'I need this': Fans react as Lego and Pokémon announce new partnership starting in 2026 How to help: Keep an eye on serial numbers Even if you're not in Massachusetts, there are ways to help. Gilmour said each Pokémon card is issued a certification, or serial, number, which can be used to identify a specific card. 1st Edition Collectibles provided the following certification numbers for the stolen merchandise: All certified cards can be searched on the Professional Sports Authenticator website. The stolen cards have been deactivated on the website, Gilmour said, to indicate they are missing. The best way to identify the box sets is by their wrappings, if they have not been opened, Gilmour said. "I like to think of those wraps as fingerprints because the wrap has the Wizard of the Coast (a role-playing game publisher) logo on them and every box is unique because that wrap has a different placement on it," he added. "If you look up a picture of our box versus the same box, you'll see the logos maybe shifted a little bit on the wrapper just for the nature of how it was wrapped." And finally, Gilmour said the stolen cards were rare, not ones an average collector would have. If a rare card comes across your desk, make sure to inquire where it came from, he advised. Shop launches cheeky t-shirts to make light of burglary, raise money To make light of the loss and help recover financially, 1st Edition Collectibles has released two t-shirts under what the shop has deemed "The Comeback Collection." One of the shirts sports Pokémon character Officer Jenny with the words "Crime Doesn't Pay." The other features the Pokémon Charizard holding a golden goblet that reads: "Chasing Grails." Both shirts are $35 each, and all of the proceeds will go back to recovery. "We figured with all the exposure, this would be a good time to put something out there for the community to really show their support, help us recover financially to be able to put this back into revamping the security systems, revamping – we've got to fix the door, we have to recover inventory losses – and really possibly considering moving," Gilmour said. The silver lining Gilmour opened 1st Edition Collectibles along with high school friends, Filipe Andre and Sean Vieira, about four and a half years ago. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when trading card games saw an uptick in sales because of the lockdown, the trio also reconnected with a "nostalgic feeling from when we were (children) and opening packs and things like that," he said. "After collecting for a couple of years that way and really finding a love and passion for the hobby, (we) decided to make a little passion project and open up the store ourselves," Gilmour added. Despite the recent financial loss, Gilmour said the support the shop has received, locally and nationwide, has been tremendous. "The community outreach, it's been the silver lining throughout this whole process," Gilmour said. "It's just seeing everybody reaching out, supporting us, sharing their stories, offering advice, guidance, tips. It's good to see that we are so well loved within the community and that everything that we've been doing for the last four and a half, five years has really touched so many people that they're willing to support us like this." Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@
USA Today
16-07-2025
- USA Today
Collectibles shop loses over $100K worth of Pokémon cards in burglary
"The community outreach, it's been the silver lining throughout this whole process," Will Gilmour said. A Massachusetts collectibles shop is preparing to reopen after more than $100,000 worth of Pokémon cards were stolen last week, a store owner says. Between $110,000 and $130,000 worth of individual first edition and boxed Pokémon cards were stolen from 1st Edition Collectibles, a toy and game shop in New Bedford, Massachusetts, on Tuesday, July 8, co-owner Will Gilmour told USA TODAY. A person broke into the store at around 2:30 a.m. local time, shoving the high-priced items inside a backpack before making his escape. 1st Edition Collectibles specializes in collectible trading card games, with an emphasis on Pokémon. Gilmour said the shop also sells figurines, like Funko Pops, vintage video games and consoles, and sports trading cards. After being closed for more than a week to clean up and install a new security system, 1st Edition Collectibles is reopening on Friday, July 18. The re-opening coincides with the release of the new Pokémon trading card deck "Scarlet & Violet – Black Bolt" and "Scarlet & Violet – White Flare," which the shop is celebrating. As of Wednesday, July 16, the burglary remained under investigation and no arrests had been made, New Bedford Police Department Media Relations Specialist Holly Huntoon told USA TODAY. Police: Man stabbed with 'broken shards of glass' after fight over Pokemon cards What was stolen? The following items were stolen from 1st Edition Collectibles, per the shop's social media: 'I need this': Fans react as Lego and Pokémon announce new partnership starting in 2026 How to help: Keep an eye on serial numbers Even if you're not in Massachusetts, there are ways to help. Gilmour said each Pokémon card is issued a certification, or serial, number, which can be used to identify a specific card. 1st Edition Collectibles provided the following certification numbers for the stolen merchandise: All certified cards can be searched on the Professional Sports Authenticator website. The stolen cards have been deactivated on the website, Gilmour said, to indicate they are missing. The best way to identify the box sets is by their wrappings, if they have not been opened, Gilmour said. "I like to think of those wraps as fingerprints because the wrap has the Wizard of the Coast (a role-playing game publisher) logo on them and every box is unique because that wrap has a different placement on it," he added. "If you look up a picture of our box versus the same box, you'll see the logos maybe shifted a little bit on the wrapper just for the nature of how it was wrapped." And finally, Gilmour said the stolen cards were rare, not ones an average collector would have. If a rare card comes across your desk, make sure to inquire where it came from, he advised. Shop launches cheeky t-shirts to make light of burglary, raise money To make light of the loss and help recover financially, 1st Edition Collectibles has released two t-shirts under what the shop has deemed "The Comeback Collection." One of the shirts sports Pokémon character Officer Jenny with the words "Crime Doesn't Pay." The other features the Pokémon Charizard holding a golden goblet that reads: "Chasing Grails." Both shirts are $35 each, and all of the proceeds will go back to recovery. "We figured with all the exposure, this would be a good time to put something out there for the community to really show their support, help us recover financially to be able to put this back into revamping the security systems, revamping – we've got to fix the door, we have to recover inventory losses – and really possibly considering moving," Gilmour said. The silver lining Gilmour opened 1st Edition Collectibles along with high school friends, Filipe Andre and Sean Vieira, about four and a half years ago. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when trading card games saw an uptick in sales because of the lockdown, the trio also reconnected with a "nostalgic feeling from when we were (children) and opening packs and things like that," he said. "After collecting for a couple of years that way and really finding a love and passion for the hobby, (we) decided to make a little passion project and open up the store ourselves," Gilmour added. Despite the recent financial loss, Gilmour said the support the shop has received, locally and nationwide, has been tremendous. "The community outreach, it's been the silver lining throughout this whole process," Gilmour said. "It's just seeing everybody reaching out, supporting us, sharing their stories, offering advice, guidance, tips. It's good to see that we are so well loved within the community and that everything that we've been doing for the last four and a half, five years has really touched so many people that they're willing to support us like this." Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@
USA Today
16-07-2025
- USA Today
$113K Pokémon heist: Rare collector cards stolen in local overnight break-in
Police are investigating the recent theft of 'high-value collectible items' from 1st Edition Collectibles in New Bedford, Massachusetts. The items, which are reported to be Pokémon cards, are estimated by the shop owner to be worth $113,000. The business owner stated that sometime after 2:30 a.m. on Tuesday, July 8, someone broke in and stole the high-value items, said Holly Huntoon, a New Bedford Police Department media relations specialist. Huntoon said the incident remains under investigation, and no arrests have been made at this time. The shop is owned by three men — William, Filipe and Sean — and has been in business in the New Bedford downtown area in Bristol County for more than four years. William, who asked that their last names not be used, said the collectibles were worth over six figures. He also said police had the surveillance photos from the robbery, and that changes are being made to the location since the break-in. According to the shop's Facebook page, the business will be closed until Friday, July 18. 'We just want to revamp security measures.' William added, 'It was probably the worst news I ever woke up to in my life. It was really bad.' The cards that were stolen were some of the rarest cards out there, he said. One item was an original box set from 1999, and another from 2000, ranging from $25,000 to $30,000 in value. 'They definitely knew what they were doing. It had to be planned. They were in and out in like 20 seconds,' William added. 'The big thing is the more eyes out there, the better.' Their social media post on the robbery has over 250,000 views, he said. 'There's not many places to bring these cards for sale. It's a pretty tight community, so the more people, the more shops that know about it the better.' The following items were stolen from 1st Edition Collectibles: For now, the business is thankful for the concern from local residents as police continue the investigation. 'We appreciate the community support we've received; it truly means so much to us to see you all come together to spread awareness and keep an eye out for the stolen items.' Follow 1st Edition Collectibles on Facebook or @1steditioncollectibles on Instagram to stay up to date with the story.
Metro
14-07-2025
- Metro
Burglar hammers his way into shop and nabs $100,000 in rare Pokémon cards
The bandit had to 'catch 'em all!' A burglar used a hammer to break into a collectibles ship in Massachusetts and made off with more than $100,000 worth of rare Pokémon cards. The thief entered 1st Edition Collectible in New Bedford around 2.30am last Tuesday, took the trading cards from a display case and stuffed them in a bag and fled, according to one of the storeowners. 'They were in and out of our store within 30 seconds,' William Gilmour told The New York Times on Sunday. 'They went straight to these high-value items.' A CCTV image posted by the shop on Facebook shows a person wearing a hooded sweatshirt and a facemask kneeling in front of a glass display case full of cards. In another post, the shop shared a list of stolen items along with some photos of them, and asked the public to be on the lookout for them. 'The overwhelming support that we've received from you all this week has been amazing and a reminder as to why we love this hobby and the community involved so much,' the shop wrote. Among the stolen items are a BGS 8.5 1st Edition Shadowless Charizard, a BGS 8.5 Skyridge Crystal Charizard, a PSA 9 Gold Star Charizard, a Pokémon Base Set Unlimited Green Wings Booster Box, and a Pokémon Neo Revelation Unlimited Booster Box. 'They are really rare because how many sealed boxes are still there from 1999 to 2000?' Gilmour said. The burglar took five rare cards and vintage box sets that totaled $100,000 to $113,000 in value, according to Gilmour. As of Sunday, no arrests had been made and the crime remained under investigation, according to New Bedford Police Department spokeswoman Holly Huntoon. The shop is located about 60 miles south of Boston. More Trending 'Seriously, thank you all for bringing some comfort to us during this crazy time,' stated the shop on social media. 'This incident was devastating but we will bounce back, grow, and come back better than ever.' Pokémon, meaning pocket monsters, were created in Japan and became wildly popular in the 1990s worldwide as people collected the trading cards and played the video games. It happened about nine months after burglars broke into a store in Cincinnati, Ohio, and weirdly stole more than 100 right-footed shoes. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Urgent recall for mushrooms over fears they can cause 'fatal infections' MORE: Manchester fan, 20, admits slapping Jack Grealish after three word jab MORE: Teddy bear 'made of human skin' sparks police investigation
