Two brothers from Warrington, Cheshire, have admitted stealing more than £71,000 worth of Pokémon Trading Card Game cards and other collectibles during a series of break-ins at collectibles stores. The case highlights how the surging value of rare Pokémon cards has made them an increasingly attractive target for criminals, at a time of heightened demand around the game's latest sets.

Keith and Shane Johnson, aged 33 and 37, were caught after a break-in at Celestial Collectables on Lovely Lane in Warrington, reported on the evening of 8 April 2026, where roughly £62,000 in cards were taken and over £3,000 of damage was caused. Police used CCTV to track a van with cloned plates travelling from Birmingham, later linking the pair to further burglaries via a Nissan X-Trail; keys, stolen property and clothing were recovered outside Keith's home. Keith Johnson received 29 months in prison, while Shane, treated as an accomplice, is due to be sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court on 31 July after admitting the same offences.