An incident of burglary that recently occurred in a game shop, UGA Games, situated in Columbus, was marked by an unusual turn of events. Two burglaries allegedly broke into the store, stealing a huge amount of merchandise including $25,000 worth of Pokemon cards.
Remarkably, in the world of Pokemon card thefts, this one stands out as uniquely daring. Instead of the typical break-in through a door or window, the thieves executed this heist by dropping into the store through the ceiling.
This robbery took place on October 16. The burglars reportedly accessed the store by breaking into the upper section of the store's storage room. From there, they dropped down and began their theft.
Among the stolen goods, notable items included a PlayStation 5, a collection of rare games, and an Xbox Series X. However, the highlight of the loot was undoubtedly the $25,000 worth of Pokemon cards.
Despite the significant financial loss due to the stolen items, the shop’s owner found a silver lining in this unfortunate event. Interestingly, the burglars injured themselves during their dramatic plunge and this was captured on the store's surveillance systems.
The store's owner, Levi Crotinger, theorized that the burglars likely broke into a vacant building adjacent to his store. This provided them with a relatively unnoticed access point to carry out the burglary.
The store's security footage, which was later uploaded on their Facebook page, provides an amusing account of the botched burglary. The footage captured one of the thieves hitting his head on a display and laying in pain before being comforted by his accomplice.
The humor of the situation was not lost on the store's owners. As consolation for their loss, they posted the footage online, mocking the thieves for their clumsy actions and self-inflicted injuries.
In a conversation with NBC, Crotinger referred to the injuries sustained by the thief as 'instant justice'. He appeared to take solace in the burglars’ plight, expressing satisfaction that their criminal actions did not go unpunished.
He conveyed that though the robbery resulted in a substantial loss of stock for the store, the support received from the community was incredibly uplifting. Despite the theft, he taunted the burglars by highlighting their humiliation on social media.
An investigation into the matter is currently underway with the Columbus police department. However, the thieves have not been caught yet, leaving a feeling of anticipation in the air about the next turn of events.
This unfortunate episode reminds one of another burglary incident in 2022. In that incident, the burglars had broken into a game store by smashing through the shop wall to steal $150,000 worth of merchandise.
The culprits were eventually caught a year later, marking an end to that string of thefts. It leaves hope that the culprits in the present incident will also face law enforcement soon and pay for their ill-motivated activities.
The sudden rise in the value of Pokemon cards has led to a surge in thefts. The popularity of this collectible trading card game, combined with the proliferation of online markets, has turned it into a lucrative target for thieves.
The video footage of this particular burglary, showing the robbers injuring themselves, serves as a reminder of the risks and punishments associated with such beleaguered attempts. Even as collectors need to protect their valuable collections, thieves must also remember that crime doesn't pay but often comes with a heavy price.