Masked thieves steal more than $100,000 from Manhattan Pokémon card shop

Kotaku reports that earlier this month three masked thieves wearing anime backpacks and wielding hammers and a gun entered the Poke Court card shop in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District on January 7 and took more than $100,000 in merchandise, including Pokémon cards.

An employee told ABC7 the thieves threatened everyone inside, smashed glass doors to reach Pokémon cards and related merchandise, and the raid lasted roughly three minutes. About 40 customers were in the store for Poke Court’s first community event; police arrived after a 911 call. The shop opened in November 2025. Owner Courtney Chin said she has a detailed list of what was stolen and hopes insurance will cover the loss, but she is unsure whether the store’s alarms worked and plans to speak with her security company.

Chin said she is considering hiring an armed guard after police and nearby shops recommended it, telling ABC7, “That’s been the recommendation of the police and of other shops in the area to get an armed guard or like a doorman.” The report noted this was not the first armed robbery targeting Pokémon cards and related merchandise, citing incidents over the last two years, including a September 2024 case in which thieves asked employees which cards were most valuable.

Key Topics

Culture, Poke Court, Pokémon Cards, Courtney Chin, Meatpacking District, Manhattan