A Pokemon Crime Spree Is Taking Over Japan

Pokemon is not a franchise you'd usually associate with criminals, but times are changing. To see why, all you have to do is ask a Pokemon card collector how secure they feel their goods are. Fans are paying top dollar for Pokemon cards nowadays, and that means criminals are eager to scurry away with their treasures. Japan is learning this the hard way thanks to a recent crime spree as card shops across Tokyo and Japan as a whole are being targeted for their Pokemon goodies.

In recent weeks, several Pokemon card thefts in Japan have been reported globally. Not long ago, The Wall Street Journal was able to follow up with some of those targeted by thieves, and 33-year-old shop owner Kenta Hosaka felt he was "finished" after $58,000 USD worth of Pokemon cards were stolen from his store.

According to Hosaka, he got into the hobby shop business as he wanted to provide a place in his community for customers to play games and socialize in a safe space. However, the goods he carries in stores to sale have not becomes as valuable as "Rolex watches, gold, silver, [and] platinum" too thieves. It is for this reason stores like Hosaka's have been targeted by thieves, and it has caused owners to overhaul their security measures.

You may think the issue is localized to Tokyo as it is Japan's most densely populated city, but that is not the case. From Kyushu to Mt. Fuji, shops are being robbed blind. Police reports indicate most of these robberies go down at night, and one shop manager told The Wall Street Journal a thief channeled Mission: Impossible when casing their stash. Keita Okamoto said a man in his 20s broke into his store by climbing an emergency stairwell to the roof his store's Tokyo tower. The suspect then rappelled by rope to the sixth floor before smashing a window and stealing whatever cards they could grab.

It is safe to say more than half a million dollars in Pokemon cards have been stolen from Japanese shops in the last year alone. After being hit, places like Toreka Himitsukichi have beefed-up their security and are now working with safes similar to those found in banks. While this does keep valuable trading cards safe, shop manager Kakeru Okubo says these security measures are reducing sales. It is hard to entice collectors into your store when you don't have any of your best goods on display, after all. However, Japan's Pokemon crime spree has forced shop owners to take unprecedented measures against thieves. Robbers are desperate to steal 'em all, and that leaves shops little choice but to fight back.

What do you think about this wave of Pokemon-related crimes? Are you surprised by the rise in thefts going down? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.