For decades, Pokémon cards were traded in school playgrounds, bent at the corners and valued more for bragging rights than money. Today, they sit behind locked glass cabinets, monitored by CCTV cameras, and increasingly targeted by thieves.
A recent arrest in Florida, where authorities say a man stole Pokémon trading cards worth thousands of dollars to resell them, reflects a broader shift in the collectibles landscape. While the case itself is local, the forces behind it are global. Pokémon cards have become valuable assets, and with that transformation has come increased criminal interest.
