A Kansas-based police officer was discharged from service by his county sheriff’s office for trying to scam a nearby store over nearly $400 worth ofPokemoncards, local media reports. The incident that took place in mid-May saw Johnson County deputy William C. Knight attempt to purchase a dozen boxes ofPokemon TCGcards after tampering with their packaging by sticking barcodes from other, less expensive products that he had at home over the original labels. He then tried paying the fraudulently discounted prices at a self-checkout terminal, but was stopped by an in-store Asset Protection Investigator, court filings reveal.
ThePokemon TCGis still going strong after over 25 years, with many of its numerous editions being equal parts playing cards and collector’s items. Some ofthe most expensivePokemoncards ever soldhave regularly moved hands for hundreds of thousands of dollars, but even the more readily available sets are pricey to collect due to their sheer volume. Thanks to the game’s global appeal and a massive second-hand market,Pokemoncards are also relatively easy to flip online, which makes them a popular target for both felony and misdemeanor theft.
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In this case, while thefts under $1,000 worth of damages are generally categorized as misdemeanors under Kansas law, Knight’s actions did not constitute aconventionalPokemoncard heist. Instead, his tampering with the packaging made in an attempt to defraud the store—all while in-uniform—led to a felony charge of one count of unlawful acts involving a “theft detection shielding device.” The investigator who suspended the transaction attempted to question the officer but was shut down after Knight claimed he had to respond to a “call” and left the store premises, which was another aggravating circumstance.
The now-ex-deputy was subsequently identified and admitted to the wrongdoing by entering a diversion agreement with the local District Attorney’s office in August, meaning the DA is now deferring active prosecution, pending good behavior and other stipulations. That said, Kansas law equates diversions to convictions, so Knight can no longer be certified as a law enforcement official anywhere in the US. He left the county sheriff’s office three days after thePokemonincident, following just over three years of service. In a statement provided to local media outlets, Knight’s attorney said his client is an Iraq veteran who “exercised poor judgment” but is now working on making restitution to the community.
When it comes to contextualizingPokemon-related crime, there’s always a reverse survivorship bias to consider. Namely, these types of cases are more likely to make the news when the perpetrators are caught, whether in the act or anattempt to sell the stolenPokemoncards backto the victims.
And as for the culprits that do get away, they tend to be much more ambitious, as exemplified by an incident from early last year that sawa burglar steal $250,000 worth ofPokemoncardsfrom a mom-and-pop shop in Minnesota. So, either way, this was still a fairly minor episode in the long history ofPokemoncrime.
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