A Massachusetts shop specializing in trading cards is reeling after a fast-moving burglar made off with more than $100,000 worth of rare Pokemon cards and box sets. The break-in occurred early Tuesday at 1st Edition Collectibles in New Bedford, where security footage showed a thief smashing through the door with a hammer, heading straight for a display case, and grabbing high-value items—all within 30 seconds, co-owner William Gilmour tells the New York Times.
Among the stolen goods were highly sought-after pieces, including a BGS 8.5 First Edition Shadowless Charizard and a BGS 7.5 First Edition Shadowless Blastoise. The loot also included vintage sealed booster boxes, notable for their scarcity since their release in 1999 and 2000. Gilmour explained that these boxes, each containing 36 original card packs, are prized by collectors for their rarity. "It sucks. I mean, you work hard, and obviously, something like this happening is not a good [thing]," another co-owner, Sean Vieira, tells NBC News. "But I mean, it's just money. No one died."
The shop, a downtown fixture about 60 miles south of Boston, was launched by Gilmour and his friends out of passion for both their city and the collectibles hobby. "We are small but mighty," Gilmour said of the shop's local spirit. The store noted online that it would take a week off after the theft to "reflect, regroup, revamp, and come back even better." New Bedford police say the burglary remains under investigation and that no arrests have been made. The store's owners have circulated surveillance images and a list of the stolen items on social media in hopes of recovering their merchandise. CBS News notes that anyone with information on the theft can call local police or the store at 774-294-0896.
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