LIVONIA, Mich. (WXYZ) — Two metro Detroit trading card shops were hit by hammer-wielding thieves in similar break-ins just days apart, with the criminals specifically targeting Pokemon cards worth thousands of dollars.
Watch the video report below:
The first incident occurred at RIW Hobbies & Gaming in Livonia around 5 a.m. last Friday. Owner Pam Willoughby says she had to watch back her security footage in horror.
Two masked individuals were seen smashing through the front door of her store. At times, the crooks smashed her property without purpose.
“When I actually watched them just standing in the building by themselves swinging a hammer, it was a little unnerving — it was an invasion," Willoughby said.
Watch the surveillance video from RIW Hobbies & Gaming below:
The target? Pokemon cards: thousands of dollars worth of them. Right now, Willoughby says the demand for the cards is through the roof.
"It’s kind of like a cycle. Every 18 to 24 months, you see it go up and down and now, it’s at an all-time high," Willoughby said about the demand of the cards.
Motor City Comic Con, where hundreds of vendors set up to trade these kinds of cards, began the very same day of the theft. Willoughby says she doesn't believe that's a coincidence.
A few days later, early Tuesday morning also around 5 a.m. in Warren at Eternal Games, yet another hammer-wielding suspect smashed through the front door of the business, getting away with more Pokemon cards.
Watch the surveillance video from Eternal Games below:
“They didn’t smash out showcase but hopped the showcase, opened up the showcase and then crouched down and took, took, hopped over and left," Eternal Games assistant manager Dakota Olszewski said.
Last December, 7 News Detroit reported on two individuals posing as interested customers, hitting card collectible businesses in Macomb County. Since then, St. Clair Shores police say those men have been found and prosecuted.
Now, RIW Hobbies & Gaming and Eternal Games are hoping for a similar outcome, saying they lost more than just money and cards; they lost their piece of mind.
“Maybe they think because they got away with it, they’ll come back for something else," Willoughby said.
Both businesses are now stepping up security and are putting out the message to other trading card businesses to be alert. Warren police say at this time, they are not connecting the two thefts but are exploring all options.
If you have any information regarding the Warren incident at Eternal Games, contact Warren Police Detective Kranz at 586-574-4780.
If you have any information regarding the Livonia incident at RIW Hobbies & Gaming, contact the Livonia Police Department at 734-466-2470.
