Two brothers, Shane Johnson, 37, and Keith Johnson, 33, have been sentenced to prison for their involvement in burglaries that resulted in the theft of approximately £62,000 worth of Pokemon cards.
The pair targeted Celestial Collectables, a specialist retailer of rare trading cards in Warrington, on April 8. They used a crowbar to smash the shop's door and damage interior fixtures, taking Pokemon cards valued at £62,000. The damage to the premises exceeded £3,000.
Shane Johnson, of no fixed abode, received a sentence of 45 months and four weeks after pleading guilty to burglary with intent to steal. Keith Johnson, from Birmingham, was sentenced to 29 months behind bars after pleading guilty to the same charges.
Second Burglary and Apprehension
The brothers also committed a burglary at The Graded Gallery in Rugby, using a crowbar to gain entry and stealing Pokemon cards and other items. They fled the scene in a Nissan X-Trail. The combined value of the stolen stock and damage from this second incident exceeded £9,000.
CCTV footage revealed a white Ford Transit van, fitted with cloned number plates, was involved in the Rugby burglary. This van was previously observed parked outside Keith Johnson's address. After the van broke down, the stolen items were transferred to a second vehicle, which was later discovered near Shane Johnson's home. Upon their arrest, officers found the stolen Pokemon cards at Keith Johnson's address.
Detective Constable Hannah Smith stated that the evidence collected placed the brothers at both crime scenes, leaving them with no alternative but to plead guilty. The court heard that rare Pokemon cards can be worth significant amounts of money, with one 'Pikachu Illustrator' card reportedly selling for over £12 million.
Shane Johnson was sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court on Thursday, while Keith Johnson was convicted and sentenced at the same court on July 2.