In a shocking incident early Wednesday morning, three suspects broke into Do-We Collectibles, a collectibles store located on Harbor Boulevard in California, after initially breaking into a neighboring business. This breach enabled them to smash through drywall to access the store, triggering a security alert that alerted the owner, Duy Pham, around 3:00 AM. Upon discovery of the break-in, Pham promptly contacted the police and reported that the suspects were armed, but by the time authorities arrived, the showcases had been cleared of over 500 valuable Pokémon cards in a matter of minutes.

Pham expressed his distress on the store's Instagram account, confirming that this was the second time they had been robbed and noting the significant loss of merchandise. The situation highlights not only the high value associated with collectible cards but also the increasing risk for businesses dealing in such high-demand items. The swift nature of the crime and the potential for reoccurrence has left both the business and customer community shaken, raising concerns over safety and security measures in retail.

This incident follows a recent case of fraud involving Pokémon cards in New York, which saw a man convicted for a multi-million dollar scheme. The rise in popularity of Pokémon cards as collectible items has also attracted criminal activity, indicating a troubling trend where the value of these items is leading to high-profile thefts and heightened security concerns within the collectible market. With the growing interest in card collecting, such incidents may continue to challenge store owners to safeguard their valuable inventories more effectively.