CCTV footage has captured a burglary at a Melbourne store where an armed intruder made off with over $3000 worth of Pokémon cards. The incident occurred in Moonee Ponds in the early hours of April 14, as the thief used a golf club to break into the premises and subsequently filled a bag with the collectible cards before fleeing.
Store owner Lucas Hipkins expressed the emotional and financial toll such crimes have on small businesses like his, stating that it involves not just the cost of the stolen items but also the stress and effort involved in dealing with the aftermath.
This burglary follows a recent crackdown by police on an organised crime syndicate believed to have been targeting collectible stores across Melbourne, with four arrests made and two individuals charged. While Hipkins had anticipated a potential hit, he noted that the thief’s choice of sealed Pokémon card packets suggests a different motive compared to previous incidents targeting high-value individual cards.
Authorities have yet to link this latest burglary to the earlier criminal activities in the area but have not ruled out its relevance in the ongoing investigation. With the perpetrator still at large, police are continuing their inquiries.
Hipkins, who along with his wife runs the small business with a team of just ten staff across four stores, described the violation as deeply personal, highlighting the vulnerability small enterprises face against such crimes.