Florida Man Accused of Using Chainsaw in Pokémon Card Heist

Why stand in line at a store for hours to snag Pokémon cards when you can just fire up a chainsaw? That seems to be the logic of Clayton Warren, a 33-year-old from West Palm Beach, who allegedly broke into a shop with a portable power saw to swipe some valuable cards.

According to reports, security footage showed Warren first trying to smash the window of a card shop named Collection Realm with a rock. When that didn’t work, he resorted to using a chainsaw to break in. A police report from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office noted that blood was found at the crime scene. Interestingly, a man resembling Warren had visited the store just days before the break-in on May 19.

Like many card shops, Collection Realm kept a selection of high-value cards behind a glass display near the cash register. The store also featured highly sought-after Pokémon boxes that often sell for three times their original retail price.

The owner of Collection Realm estimates that Warren made off with around $12,000 worth of sleeved and bulk cards. After the owner reported the theft, investigators traced a license plate back to a residence in West Palm Beach, where they found Warren. He has since been charged with burglary of an unoccupied structure and grand theft between $10,000 and $20,000.

The trend of Pokémon card thefts has been increasing in both the U.S. and Europe. Just days after Warren’s arrest, another individual was caught on camera smashing the entrance of a card shop in Arizona with a sledgehammer, reportedly stealing about $7,000 worth of cards in just two minutes.

In light of this surge in thefts, some card shop owners are stepping up their security measures, including installing specialized locking systems. Some are even taking their most valuable cards home to prevent theft, while others have stopped buying cards from the public altogether to avoid the risks associated with Pokémon card-related crime.