Sawt Falasteen - Thieves steal Pokemon cards in armed robbery at US store

Images shared by the shop show a hooded man dressed in all black pointing what appears to be a pistol at someone sitting with their hands up.

US media said some of the individual cards taken were worth as much as $5,500.

Pokemon cards bearing "little monsters" attract children as well as adult superfans and collectors, with billions printed and some selling for millions of dollars.

Earlier this month, around $300,000 worth of Pokemon cards were stolen in another armed robbery in California.

New York police said they received reports late Wednesday that three men had entered The Poke Court shop in Manhattan and "displayed a firearm and made threats to individuals."

"They then removed multiple merchandise and cash and a phone," a spokesman said.

No arrests have been made.

Courtney Chin, owner of The Poke Court, said in a video posted on Instagram that all customers and staff were safe. She spoke in front of display cases that had been smashed.

The store listed several cards as stolen, each stored in protective plastic cases called "slabs" that verify their authenticity.

The stolen cards include those of famous Pokemon characters like Pikachu, the large yellow mouse with a lightning bolt-shaped tail.

Several people were in the Manhattan store to attend a community event when the robbery unfolded.

"This hobby should be a safe and welcoming place and while cardboard can be replaced, no one should ever have to go through this," the shop wrote on Instagram.

Characters from Pokemon games have been spun off into films, animated series and a plethora of merchandise.

The franchise racked up $12 billion in licensing revenue in 2024, according to specialist publication License Global -- more than toy giant Mattel.

I.Yassin--SF-PST