Thieves steal Pokémon playing cards from two Nottinghamshire gaming shops

A enterprise proprietor has been left “upset and angry” after each of her outlets had been damaged into with money and Pokémon playing cards among the many gadgets taken.

Police stated inquiries had been beneath approach after thieves focused The Dice Jail in Southwell, Nottinghamshire, on 25 December, and Sanctuary Gaming Centre & Coffee Shop in Sutton-in-Ashfield on 26 December.

Kate Viande, who’s joint proprietor of each companies – which function as gaming cafes and toy outlets – stated about £3,000 was stolen from tills in the course of the break-ins, together with quite a lot of buying and selling playing cards together with Star Wars, Spider-Man and Warhammer collections.

“It’s jeopardised our business and we’re just trying to get along,” Ms Viande stated.

She added: “Why target the small businesses who are just trying to make a bit of a living and make the world better?”

It comes after two men were arrested on suspicion of burglary in close by Retford in December – after thieves smashed by way of a brick wall to steal Pokémon playing cards value an estimated £10,000 from a warehouse.

And, on Thursday, thousands of Pokémon cards and different collectable buying and selling gadgets value about £10,000 had been taken from Jakes Breaks buying and selling card store in Beeston in Nottinghamshire.

Cards associated to the Japanese animation franchise have soared in worth over latest years, with some being offered for hundreds of kilos.

Ms Viande stated she grew to become conscious The Dice Jail, in Queen Street, was damaged into after passers-by noticed the entrance door was smashed on the morning of 25 December.

“Somebody smashed through the glass on the front door using a hammer and stole a lot of [Pokémon trading card] stock,” she stated.

“I am pretty upset, annoyed and angry. I am disappointed more than anything.”

Ms Viande stated the break-in occurred at about 04:40 GMT.

Thieves then broke into Ms Viande’s different retailer, in Forest Street, Sutton-in-Ashfield, at about 03:45 on 26 December.

“They went to one of our side windows and threw a big metal ball through the window, disintegrating it,” she stated.

Ms Viande stated the thieves then stole a money drawer from the until and focused buying and selling playing cards once more, together with Pokémon, Star Wars, Spider-Man and Warhammer.

“We managed to actually see them in the act of doing it [on CCTV] and managed to call the police while they were in the shop,” she stated.

Police stated officers attended two minutes after the decision got here in, however the thieves had left the scene.

However, nearly all of the playing cards had been recovered by officers after the suspects fled the scene and dropped them.

Other playing cards have additionally been situated stashed in a close-by avenue, police added.

Ms Viande stated the group had been supportive and a fundraiser could be launched to assist fund new tills and alternative glass for the damaged home windows.

The 43-year-old believes the break-ins had been carried out by the identical folks.

“They were wearing the same hoodies and looked like the same baseball cap and the same trainers,” she stated.

When requested if she believes her shops had been focused, she stated: “Yes, it’s too much of a coincidence, in my opinion.”

Nottinghamshire Police stated investigations had been launched over each break-ins.

Officers are following quite a lot of strains of inquiry and “arrest attempts are being made” in relation to the incidents, it stated.