Two Houston trading card shops were broken into this week, with thieves smashing glass and walking out with thousands of dollars in goods, according to surveillance video. MadRat and Nakama Collectibles both fell victim, and the shop owners say the wave of thefts shows no sign of stopping.
MadRat Toys co-owner Sam Pacheco told KTRK that the thefts are happening fast and often. “It’s getting out of control, it’s just a lot,” he said. He estimated that the burglars took $10,000 to $15,000 in product, with about $10,000 in damage to the window, cases and other items.
The MadRat Break-In
Surveillance video shows the suspects moving quickly. They used a sledgehammer to break the glass at MadRat, entered the store and stuffed the popular cool cards into trash bags. Pacheco said the thefts are continuing to target trading stores a lot right now.
“It feels like it’s one every week or something like that, it’s terrible,” Pacheco said.
Nakama Collectibles Gets Hit
On Sunday, Nakama Collectibles in Cypress was also broken into. Law enforcement said two men used a brick to break the door and take the cards. The shop’s employee, Aaron Compton, described the crime in blunt terms.
“It’s very unfortunate because for me it’s like once you do that, when you cross that line of you break in, you still cards, especially if you’re a player yourself that does that, at that point you’re not a player,” Compton said.
Compton said the act is unforgivable. “Don’t do it, it’s not worth it because eventually you’re going to get caught,” he said.
Comparing Cards to Catalytic Converters
The shop owners drew a direct parallel between the current theft wave and a previous one. Pacheco recalled the widespread rash of catalytic converter thefts, where thieves went under cars to take the exhaust components.
“I remember when that was happening a lot and you would see people going under cars, taking out the catalytic converter and running away, it’s kind of like the same thing now, you see people breaking into game stores, busting windows down, busting doors down,” Pacheco said.
The Trading Card Craze
Both shops blame the thefts on the popularity of trading card games themselves. Owners say the craze is at an all-time high, with people trying to make quick big bucks through resales.
Security Measures Are Coming
Pacheco said the shops are planning to beef up their security. He urged customers to buy cards the right way, at open shows where the valuables are sold correctly.
“All of those different shows that you can go and purchase things and do it the right way instead of just kind of breaking in and buying – grabbing all the stuff that you want and trying to sell it somewhere else,” Pacheco said.
Police Response
Houston police caught two of the suspects near MadRat’s location. The suspects are not charged in the burglary yet, and HPD said the search for the other suspects and this investigation is still ongoing.
The Broader Pattern
The comparison to catalytic converter thefts is a warning from Pacheco. He sees a similar dynamic at play: a valuable item becomes a target, and thieves adapt their methods accordingly. The steps involved in both types of theft follow a clear pattern:
- A valuable item becomes a widespread target.
- Thieves identify the easiest point of entry.
- They break in quickly to grab the goods.
- The thefts continue across multiple locations.
The Shop Owners’ Message
Pacheco and Compton both urged would-be thieves to think twice. The damage is real, and the risk of capture is high.
“Don’t do it, it’s not worth it because eventually you’re going to get caught,” Compton said.
Source material: “Surveillance video shows thieves targeted Houston-area trading card game shops,” ABC13 Houston.
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