Four suspects stole about $180,000 worth of collectibles and Pokémon cards from an Anaheim store earlier this week.
The Anaheim Police Department said the burglary happened early Wednesday morning at Do-We Collectibles. Officers said the burglars broke into a neighboring business and tunneled through a shared wall to get into the trading card shop.
Security camera videos showed the suspects, all masking their faces, using sledgehammers to smash display cases and steal the valuable items.
This is one of the latest instances of thieves breaking into memorabilia stores to steal collectibles, including Pokémon cards.
Ken Goldin, who owns an online auction house of the same name, said people bid millions of dollars for Pokémon cards on his website.
"There's jewelry stores, there's fashion stores, there's banks, and there's collectible stores, and unfortunately, collectibles have become so valuable and so popular that they've now joined the ranks of a watch store or a jewelry store that makes itself a target," Goldin said.
While most cards cost a few bucks, special limited-edition cards can fetch millions of dollars at auctions and among collectors.
"These are all kids, young adults, who are playing the game, treating it as a game in the late 90s, early 2000s, and they're now in their 30s and 40s," Goldin said. "A lot of them have much more disposable income, and they're spending it on something they love, which is Pokémon."