Two brothers have been sentenced for their involvement in the theft of more than £62,000 worth of Pokémon cards from a gaming shop in Warrington, Cheshire. Shane Johnson, 37, and his younger brother Keith Johnson, 33, carried out the burglary at Celestial Collectables on April 8.
The pair, wearing face masks and tracksuits, used a crowbar to break into the store. They proceeded to smash glass display cabinets and fill a large carrier bag with trading cards, slabs, packs, and booster boxes. The raid, which lasted over four minutes, also resulted in significant damage to the shop's interior, including the door, wall cabinets, and counter.
Co-owner Chris Grundy described the incident as "heartbreaking," stating that considerable effort had gone into establishing the business. Cheshire Police were alerted to the break-in and responded to reports of a smashed shop door.
Investigators identified a white Ford Transit van with cloned number plates used in the burglary. CCTV footage revealed the van traveled from Birmingham to Warrington on the day of the crime. The vehicle was later found containing Pokémon cards, a box with the shop's logo, and burglary tools. Further investigation showed the brothers transferred their haul to a second van, which was later located near Shane Johnson's address.
Following the Warrington burglary, the brothers committed another similar offense at The Graded Gallery in Rugby, Warwickshire, on April 14. They again used a crowbar to gain entry and stole various items, including more Pokémon cards, causing over £9,000 in damage and stolen stock. For this burglary, they fled in a Nissan X-Trail, which was later found parked outside Keith Johnson's property.
Both brothers pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary with intent to steal. Keith Johnson was sentenced to 29 months imprisonment at Birmingham Crown Court on July 2. Shane Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced at the same court on July 31.
Detective Constable Hannah Smith stated that the "overwhelming evidence" collected by police left the brothers with no choice but to plead guilty. She added that they would "pay the price for their part in their criminal Pokémon enterprise."
The theft is part of a wider trend of targeted burglaries on high-value Pokémon card collections. The market value of these cards has surged, particularly as the franchise marked its 30th anniversary on February 27. Recent incidents include a £30,000 card theft from a store in Bournemouth in March, a £300,000 loss from a private collection in Surrey, and a £100,000 stock loss from a business in Cambridgeshire earlier this year. The increasing value is attributed to collectors preserving cards in good condition and a growing "nostalgia economy."