Man Arrested After $300,000+ Worth of Stolen Pokémon Cards Discovered During Raid — Police Joke: ‘Gotta Catch ‘Em All’

A man in the UK has been arrested after police discovered he was harboring a cache of stolen Pokémon cards worth £250,000 (approx. $332,500).

The hoard was discovered after Greater Manchester Police raided a home in Hyde, Tameside, on the outskirts of Greater Manchester. It contained cards still in their original plastic labelling and price tags, with some individual cards worth up to £560 (approx. $744).

As spotted by the BBC, a police spokesman joked in a post on Facebook: “Gotta catch ’em all.” The force is now trying to reunite the cards with their rightful owners.

“An interesting warrant in #Hyde yesterday morning, supported by your Neighbourhood policing teams,” the statement from Tameside Police read. “Seizure of thousands of stolen, high-value Pokémon cards with an estimated worth of over £250,000. Attempts will now be made to return the cards to the original owners. One male arrested.

“Gotta catch ‘Em All 😉”

This isn’t the first time criminals have targeted collectible trading cards. Since the rarest sold in 2022 for more than $5 million, prices have rocketed, with Tokyo police reported an unprecedented number of trading card thefts in the latter half of 2022. There’s also been high profile examples in other parts of the world, including a Minnesota store reportedly having around $250,000 worth of cards stolen and a Tokyo man allegedly launching a full on heist to acquire cards. Even an Alabama policeman was allegedly fired for pocketing cards in Walmart.

In September 2024, a Japanese duo stole $70,000 worth of Pokémon cards from a store in Osaka, but not before interrogating staff to ascertain which ones were the most valuable. A similar thing happened in California in early 2024 when thieves made off with 35,000 Pokémon cards.

Perhaps that’s why finding Pokémon cards in 2025 isn’t as easy as it should be. Between Destined Rivals preorders vanishing in seconds, new split expansion sets in Black Bolt and White Flare, and Journey Together chase cards dominating every feed, Pokémon TCG has never felt more intense. But if you’re trying to keep up with Pokémon TCG without getting ripped off or left behind, check out our guide on the best places to start, including the latest update on what can be bought where from trusted retailers in the U.S.

Find out if this Pokémon TCG: Prismatic Evolutions Surprise Box is worth $59.99.

Image credit: Tameside Police / Facebook.

Vikki Blake is a reporter, critic, columnist, and consultant. She’s also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.