Although many fads come and go in the blink of an eye,Pokemonis here to stay. The series has seen highs and lows, but has remained a big part of pop culture since it took over the world in thelate 1990s.Pokemoncardshave remained a popular pastime as well, but recently,Pokemoncards have seen an increase in that popularity as streamers open sealed decks and rare cards become even rarer. This has lead to an increase in value, and unfortunately, a rise inPokemoncard-related crime, too.RELATED:Pokemon Card Scalpers Are Stealing Cards From Cereal BoxesThe most recent example of this comes from Pinellas Park, Florida, where a Burger King employee has been arrested fortheft ofPokemoncards. To be clear, this isn’t related to a Burger KingPokemoncard giveaway of any kind; rather, the employee stole the cards from a Walmart. Brandon Syvilay, the accused, walked out of a Walmart with packs ofPokemoncards in his pockets and backpack. The CCTV footage taken at the store led to his arrest, and it was determined that he had stolen $149.72 worth ofPokemoncards.
Syvilay has since been charged with retail theft, for which the punishment can range from 16 months in prison to fines of $400. Whether or not the law will pursue punishment going that far is unknown for now. At just under $150 worth of cards, it’s a far cry from some of the other recentPokemoncard thefts, like one thatstole $250,000 worth ofPokemoncardsfrom a collectibles shop.
Pokemoncard theftsand general misbehavior surrounding sales of the cards have become a major problem lately all over the place. Stores like Target have had to removePokemoncards from the shelves in the past, while at least one thief has even been shot. It’s a disturbing trend, especially when one considersr that it revolves around a kid-safe card game. And unfortunately, crime andPokemonhave made the news before, as mobile gamePokemon GOhas seen many crimes committed since its release, ranging from people driving while distracted to players being injured or killed by criminals while just trying to play a game.
Sadly, there’s a good chance that crime will continue so long as the value ofPokemoncards persist. However, no card game is worth breaking the law or harming others over. In the case of Brandon Syvilay, it’s evident that this crime didn’t pay and could have long-lasting repercussions for him.
