Dramatic video footage has captured the moment a brazen thief smashed his way into a gaming shop in St Neots, Cambridgeshire, making off with an estimated £20,000 worth of highly valuable Pokémon trading cards. The incident, which occurred on March 24, was recorded on the store's security cameras, showing a hooded criminal ransacking the premises while alarms blared.
Heartbreaking Discovery for Shop Owners
Husband and wife Matt and Nicola Harmel, who own the trading store, described their devastation upon returning from walking their dog to find their shop in disarray. "My partner came in, and as I caught up with him he said 'the shop's been left in a mess'," recalled Ms Harmel, 39. "It was only when I pointed out the window was smashed, the penny just dropped. His heart just sunk, the cabinets were empty."
The thief had managed to bypass barbed wire and endure blaring alarms to gain entry through a small window at the rear of the shop, which backs onto a staff-only car park. CCTV footage shows the perpetrator's left foot appearing as he descended from the window onto the checkout counter. He is then seen disconnecting the shop's security system before helping himself to collectables stored behind glass doors.
Valuable Haul Includes Rare Collectables
Among the stolen items were approximately £20,000 worth of Pokémon cards, including a Japanese 'GX' acrylic box valued at £1,000 alone, and an original pristine condition Bulbasaur card from the 1990s worth £250. The thief targeted the most valuable items, clearing out the first three of five display cabinets while leaving lower-value cards behind.
"It looked like someone had come in and thrown a swingball around – there were cards on the floor, all the doors had been ripped open," Ms Harmel described the scene. "I think they grabbed whatever they could in the time they were in here, because they did leave a £300 Charizard on the shelf, which was priced."
Growing Trend of Pokémon Card Thefts
After the shop posted about the theft on Instagram, other store owners shared similar experiences. Hertfordshire Vintage Toys commented: "We have stopped selling cards and Pokemon after a break in. It sucks, but [we] can't afford for the insurance to go up or the damage it causes. I think this is number nine of burglaries I've seen now."
Ms Harmel believes a resurgence in Pokémon's popularity has increased the likelihood of such break-ins. "Pokémon has hit its 30th anniversary this year, and a lot of people have put their money into this product rather than the stock markets, because the profit margin is a lot higher than it used to be," she explained.
Cards Dubbed 'More Valuable Than Gold'
The theft comes as Pokémon cards are being increasingly described as 'more valuable than gold' due to their soaring popularity among millennial collectors. Live selling platforms such as Whatnot have reported a staggering 282 percent surge in sales in 2025 compared to the previous year, highlighting the booming market for these collectables.
Cambridgeshire Police confirmed they were investigating the break-in. "We were informed of a break-in overnight at a shop in Fishers Yard, St Neots, where a significant quantity of trading cards has been taken," a spokesperson said. "Officers attended and an investigation has been launched. Anyone with information should contact us on 101 quoting 35/21666/26."
The Harmels, who display all their cards with visible pricing for customer transparency, are now assessing the damage and working with authorities to recover their stolen merchandise. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the growing value and vulnerability of trading card collections in today's market.
