When it comes to high-stakes collectibles, Pokémon cards have become gold—and criminals are starting to treat them that way. From sneaky kids to million-dollar heists, here are the 10 craziest Pokémon card thefts ever caught on camera.

10. Caught Red-Handed at the Vendor Table
Two kids thought they were slick at a vendor booth, pocketing a card when no one was watching—except someone was. A nearby bystander saw the whole thing, confronted them, and made the kid pay up on the spot. The vendor handled it like a pro, turning a messy moment into a lesson.

9. $40,000 Card Heist Interrupted by MMA Fighters
One guy thought he could casually walk out with $30–40K worth of Pokémon cards. What he didn’t count on? Two MMA fighters on the scene. They cut him off, used their jiu-jitsu skills to subdue him, and handed him over to authorities.

8. Sneaky Slab Swipe Mid-Trade
In the middle of a trade show deal, one guy tried to sneakily swipe a slab card. Luckily, the seller caught on fast and called him out. After a tense back-and-forth and video evidence, the stolen slabs were returned, and the situation deescalated without police getting involved.

7. Burger Order Betrayal
A guy broke into a display cabinet and stole a rare Pokémon binder—on camera. But here’s the twist: earlier, he used his real credit card to buy a burger at the store. Easiest bust ever.

6. Repeat Offender Gets Busted
This guy had been stealing Pokémon and sports cards multiple times a day, racking up thousands in losses. Finally, staff spotted him again, confronted him, and he got arrested. His weak defense? “I haven’t left the store yet.” Too late, buddy—cameras don’t lie.

5. The Whatnot Moonbon Scam
A seller on Whatnot pulled an Umbreon VMAX live on stream—worth thousands. But instead of shipping it, he sneakily swapped it for a cheap Leafeon. Viewers noticed. He got banned from the platform for good. Instant karma.

4. Stolen Mew Card Confrontation
Reseller Brian ran into someone selling a Mew card—one that was his, stolen weeks earlier. The seller claimed he bought it from someone else, but Brian had video evidence and a police report. The card was returned, but the confrontation could’ve gone way worse.

3. Convention Thief Tackled Mid-Chase
At a packed convention, someone tried to make off with a bunch of rare cards. A crowd formed, a chase broke out, and the thief was tackled to the ground. The audience cheered as the vendor got his cards back on camera. Talk about sweet justice.

2. Shining Charizard Stolen on Camera (While Acknowledging the Camera!)
A kid literally acknowledged he was being filmed, then proceeded to steal a $1,000 Shining Charizard. The vendor offered amnesty on Instagram if the card was returned. The kid messaged him, gave it back, and said he’d “probably never do this again.” Legendary logic.

1. The Million-Dollar Pokémon Heist
The biggest Pokémon card theft in history: Between $200K to $1M+ worth of rare cards were stolen by an employee at a printing facility. A customer showed up to a card shop with stacks of unreleased secret rares, raising instant red flags. Pokémon investigated, confirmed the theft, and recovered the stolen cards. A literal booster box crime ring.

Want even more insane Pokémon stories?
Check out the video linked next for legendary pulls, fails, and moments that’ll make your Pokédex spin.