Man’s Armed Robbery Spree Targeted Pokemon Card Sellers

A 23-year-old Chicago man is facing multiple felony charges after authorities say he committed multiple armed robberies targeting individuals selling Pokemon cards through online marketplace listings.

CWB Chicago reports that Anthony Garcia is charged with five counts of robbery armed with a firearm. According to Chicago Police, Garcia used Facebook Marketplace to arrange personal meetings with sellers who listed Pokémon cards for sale. Once the victims arrived at the agreed upon locations, Garcia allegedly led them to the lobby, produced a handgun and stole collectible cards before fleeing on foot.

All five robberies occurred in March in the Gage Park area on Chicago’s Southwest Side. The first incident occurred on March 17, where a 20-year-old victim was robbed. Ten days later, on 27 March, another 20-year-old man was targeted in the same area. This pattern continued with a 19-year-old victim on March 28, followed by two robberies on March 29 – one involving a 29-year-old victim and the other involving a 21-year-old victim.

The Pokémon card market has seen significant growth in recent years, with rare cards fetching substantial sums and attracting collectors and investors alike. This inflated price has clearly made sellers the target of criminal activity.

Breitbart News reported in January that a card shop robbery netted the criminals $300,000 worth of Pokémon cards:

An RWT Collective customer encountered thieves while checking out and was reportedly held at gunpoint in the parking garage. The NBC article stated that the cards were inside a briefcase.

Meanwhile, a similar theft took place at Simi Sportscards on Eringer Road where thieves broke in with a chainsaw. After breaking into the display case, the group made off with approximately $50,000 worth of cards.

Court records show Garcia has a prior criminal history. Chicago police records show he was previously arrested for retail theft in August 2025. Notably, he was also arrested for armed robbery with a firearm in 2020, suggesting a pattern of similar criminal behavior spanning several years.