SAN ANTONIO — One local trade card shop was targeted by a pair of thieves early Saturday morning. The owner claims they took off with an estimated $15,000 worth of Pokémon cards.
It happened at TCG Exchange at BesTea Café located off Babcock Road on the northwest side. San Antonio Police are investigating the burglary and a copy the surveillance videos capturing the act.
Joe Adam opened the shop about a year and a half ago, turning a hobby into a successful business. But what happened Saturday morning is now jeopardizing his hard work.
“So at 2:30, I got a notification that there was movement inside the store so I was like, 'That’s not supposed to happen right?,'” Adam said.
Adam checked the surveillance video and saw two men crawl through a window they had smashed open.
“I immediately called 911 and at the same time as I’m on the phone with 911, I’m literally watching them take my stuff and my heart just sank,” he said.
Adam said he felt helpless as he watched them stuff his livelihood into trash bags.
“Those eight minutes that they were in here they took a value maybe close to $15,000,” Adam said.
The two were wearing hoodies and gloves and got away before the police arrived.
“This whole display case was filled and now it’s empty,” Adam said.
Adam said he has considered if he will need to close his store, but the community quickly changed his mind.
“Somebody just literally just dropped off a gift card,” Adam said. “I didn’t know who they were, they were literally a stranger and said 'Dinner's on me.'”
Many people have offered to donate cards and merchandise. KENS 5 captured the act when two strangers stopped by to drop off cards.
“We just want to make sure you’re doing good man,” the customer said.
Aidan Khus, a Pokémon player and customer also stopped by to let the owner know he was going to donate some cards as well.
“There’s still a lot of good people that play cards and there’s more good people than bad people in the world, I like to believe that,” Khus said.
Adam said he has made a claim with his insurance and is hoping that will also help him bounce back. In the meantime, he is urging anyone with information about the burglary to speak up to police can catch them all.