Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office/Pokemon
A Florida man has been arrested after allegedly using a chainsaw to break into a store and steal thousands of dollars worth of Pokemon cards.
According to an arrest report from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, 33-year-old Clayton Warren was arrested after the owner of Collection Realm in Lake Park reported an overnight burglary on May 21.
As reported by KSL, surveillance footage allegedly showed a man first trying to break the store’s hurricane-proof front window with a rock, but it wasn’t very effective. So, he decided to whip out a battery-powered chainsaw to cut a triangle into it.
Investigators said blood was left behind during the break-in.
Florida man uses chainsaw to steal Pokemon cards
After reviewing the footage, the store owner estimated that around $12,000 worth of Pokemon cards had been stolen. The haul reportedly included both sleeved cards and bulk bonus cards.
Police said the footage also showed a man matching Warren’s appearance inside the store two days earlier, where he shopped for a few hours.
Screenshot/WPBF
Investigators later used a license plate reader to track down Warren’s mom’s vehicle, which had been captured on surveillance cameras. The vehicle was registered to a West Palm Beach address.
Authorities obtained a search warrant and arrested Warren at the home.
He has been charged with burglary of an unoccupied structure and grand theft greater than $10,000 but less than $20,000.
“We are so thankful for all the people who have reached out with their support and kind words. Luckily no one was around, and everyone is safe, but having good security and sticking together is more important now than ever,” Collection Realm said on Instagram.
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The bizarre case comes as Pokemon cards continue to fuel major demand among collectors, with rare cards and sealed products often reselling at inflated prices and fights breaking out in parking lots with tons of people waiting for card releases.
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Retailers have repeatedly dealt with high demand, scalping, and theft tied to trading cards in recent years, as collectors try to get their hands on valuable sets.
Chainsaws aren’t the only wild way Pokemon cards have been stolen. Earlier this year, scammers were caught using bags filled with actual paper to buy $350K worth of cards.
This also isn’t the first time a Florida man has tried to steal Pokemon cards. Back in 2024, a man tried to steal $30,000 worth of Pokemon cards from a shop was stopped after a couple of MMA coaches tackled him.
