Pokemon Card Thief Gets 10-Year Prison Sentence After $21K Theft
A 36-year-old man in North Carolina has admitted to stealing roughly $21,000 worth of Pokémon cards and will spend more than a decade in prison, with the punishment tied to a plea agreement. He entered his guilty plea about six months after his arrest, which stemmed from a traffic stop where officers found additional items on him at the time.
Pokémon Trading Card Game products have been a long-running money-maker for the franchise since the series arrived in Western markets in the late 1990s. With Pokémon’s 30th anniversary currently underway, the celebration is spreading beyond the games and into the card world. The Pokémon TCG is set to release the “30th Celebration” expansion in September, and it will include reprinted versions of fan-favorite cards from the game’s early days, including the Base Set Charizard.
In the meantime, new information about the box art “legendary” Pokémon for the Winds and Waves line of games has surfaced online, despite a lack of official confirmation.
North Carolina Pokemon Card Thief Pleads Guilty to January Robbery
With the Pokémon TCG’s popularity continuing to grow, it has attracted collectors and criminals alike—especially as certain cards can command massive prices through third-party marketplaces. Court records from New Hanover County Superior Court say Joseph Trevor Wilson, based in Wilmington, North Carolina, is expected to serve at least 10 to 14 years after pleading guilty to robbery with a dangerous weapon. Wilson was taken into custody in January 2026 during a traffic stop and was accused of stealing nearly $21,000 worth of Pokémon cards from Video Game Time, a Wilmington store that sells video games and trading cards. Surveillance footage from inside the shop allegedly connected Wilson to the incident. During the stop, police also reported finding a BB pistol, cocaine, and drug paraphernalia on Wilson.
Before time runs out, players are left with the usual puzzle: identify the silhouettes.
In addition to the Pokémon card robbery, Wilson’s plea deal also included guilty pleas to second-degree kidnapping, possession of cocaine, and drug paraphernalia-related charges. District Attorney Jason Smith’s office said Wilson pretended to be a customer when carrying out the theft. Prosecutors added that Wilson pepper-sprayed a Video Game Time employee, restrained them with zip ties, and displayed a weapon before fleeing with Pokémon cards, a cell phone, and cash. Wilson also claimed in the plea agreement that two other men pressured him into committing the robbery to pay a debt. Some of the stolen cards were reportedly recovered more than 90 miles away in Fayetteville, northwest of Wilmington.
Wilson’s situation is not being treated as an isolated case. Earlier in June, a Pokémon card store in Brentwood, California—The Card Lab—was hit by a robbery that lasted just 39 seconds, based on security camera footage. The burglars reportedly stole about $15,000 worth of Pokémon cards while one of the shop’s employees was away from the counter. After the theft, the suspects escaped in a Nissan Altima.
Because Pokémon TCG items have also been scalped and resold at extreme markups, The Pokémon Company has implemented additional restrictions aimed at curbing the problem. Starting May 31, the company will no longer permit graded cards, Pokémon Center Japan products, and other high-value items to be brought or sold at official Pokémon TCG events.
