The Rising Threat of Pokémon Card Theft
A shattered window, a stolen laptop, and a broken glass shelf that once held valuable Pokémon cards now lay in ruins. This was the scene hobby shop owner Alex Balykov encountered when he returned to his store in Hughesdale, Melbourne, after a burglary last month. The incident occurred just months after his shop first opened, highlighting the growing risks faced by small business owners in the trading card market.
According to police reports, a suspect placed the stolen trading cards into a shopping bag and fled on a "motorbike with no plates." This event is part of a broader trend where the financial value of Pokémon cards has sparked a surge in crime. Trading card-related crimes in Victoria have risen dramatically over the years, with incidents increasing from nine cases in 2021 to nearly one per week in 2025. Last year alone saw 50 such incidents, marking a more than 455% increase in four years.
Mr. Balykov believes the thief who targeted his store lacked a deep understanding of the trading card market. "He was pretty much a hand-length away from getting a few thousand dollars' worth of other cards," he said. "But obviously, the thief wasn't smart enough."
Since the April burglary, Mr. Balykov has taken additional precautions to protect his stock from further attacks. "Everything's now being taken off [display] and locked up," he explained. "Unfortunately, this is just a new reality I live in now. Just worrying about something being broken into again."
The Global Appeal of Pokémon Cards
Since its launch in 1996, Pokémon has grown into the world's highest-grossing media franchise, spanning video games, anime series, movies, merchandise, and trading cards. While packs of Pokémon cards can be purchased for less than $10, individual rare cards can fetch hundreds, thousands, or even millions of dollars.
The internet personality Logan Paul played a significant role in fueling public interest in the hobby during the COVID-19 pandemic. In February 2026, he sold a Japanese language Pikachu card for US$16.4 million ($22.7 million), making it the most expensive Pokémon card to date. This eye-watering value has drawn the attention of criminals, leading to an increase in thefts targeting hobby shops.
Impact on Small Business Owners
Melbourne hobby shops that sell Pokémon cards have been forced to invest more in security or move high-value products during closing hours. Hobby shop owner Trent Clarke has also experienced attempts to steal his store’s stock of trading cards. He emphasized that these burglaries not only affect the store owners but also the community that engages in the hobby.
"If somebody comes in here and steals from us, they're not just stealing from myself and my family, they're taking from everybody else who has put their money, belief, trust, time, effort, love, passion into this business as well," Mr. Clarke said. "And then it scales down. Every week, every weeknight, we have 100 plus people in here. We come in and disrupt the flow of that, 100 people get affected, and that's not good. That sucks."
Small business owners suspect they are targeted more frequently than large franchises that stock trading cards, such as EB Games. "Trading card games, particularly Pokémon, have grown significantly in popularity in recent years, which has increased demand across the industry," said Camilla Hanbury, brand director at EB Games. "While incidents reported in the media are concerning, our focus remains on creating a safe and welcoming environment for our teams and customers in every store."
Community Response and Support
Anxiety among hobby shop owners reached a peak after a series of attacks in 2025, prompting them to create a group chat to notify each other of robberies and attempts by criminals to resell stolen products. Owners previously told the ABC they believed hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of product had been stolen. Ten incidents have been reported to the group in the past two months.
Mr. Clarke said that the camaraderie among him and other card shop owners in Melbourne, whether through a group chat or face-to-face contact, had created a support system. "We have to safeguard ourselves as a community because, for lack of a better term, we're all in the same industry," he said. "We're all here for the same goal … it's to have a good time. It's to enjoy and be passionate about the things that happen within these stores."
Mr. Balykov expressed gratitude for the strong support from his customers following the robbery. "Everyone that supported me, I couldn't thank you enough," he said. "The community has been more than responsive and more than amazing."
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