Store Owner Offers $6,000 Reward for Capture of Pokémon TCG Thief—Must Be Apprehended Alive

A card shop owner in Gifu Prefecture, Japan, has put up a reward of 1 million yen (about $6,100) for the capture of a thief who stole Pokémon and One Piece trading card game items from their store on July 22. The catch? The thief must be returned in “PSA 10 condition”—essentially, “alive” and “breathing.”

According to a post on social media, the owner of Kaitorip Game reported the burglary, which occurred around 3:20 AM on July 22, 2026. The shop was thoroughly ransacked, resulting in a significant loss of inventory. The owner expressed urgency in resuming operations and apologized to customers who had planned to visit.

In a follow-up post, which included CCTV footage of the masked thief rummaging through the store, the owner’s request for the thief to be returned “alive” sparked a wave of interest among users online. Many began inquiring about the potential trade-in value of the thief based on their condition upon return. The shop owner humorously responded, “We will not reduce the amount as long as they are breathing,” likening the condition to what some sellers on eBay might call “lightly played.”

As of now, the thief remains at large, but it will be intriguing to see if their mugshot leads to any issues at Pokémon stores in Japan once facial recognition technology is implemented later this month.