Footage revealed a pair of thieves forcefully entering a Chicago shop specializing in trading cards and comics in the early hours of Monday.
Ronnie Holiday, who owns Elite Sports Cards, informed FOX 32 about the unsettling phone call he received regarding the intrusion at his luxury collectibles store.
“It’s definitely not the kind of call you hope to get at 2 a.m.,” he remarked.
As alarms blared, the burglars absconded with approximately $100,000 worth of valuable Pokémon and major league sports cards from the small enterprise.
The significant theft of Pokémon and collectible sports cards, valued at $100,000, is currently under investigation as authorities strive to identify the two individuals responsible for the audacious crime. (WFLD-TV via Elite Sports Cards)
Security cameras recorded at least two individuals, clad in hoodies and masks, making their way into the store at around 1:54 a.m. on Monday.
According to Holiday, the thieves didn’t touch the register. They broke in, hopped over the counter, went straight to the high-end cards and ran out. No injuries were reported in the incident.
A Chicago collectible store owner is devastated after more than $100,000 in merchandise from his business was stolen Monday, April 20. (WFLD-TV via Elite Sports Cards)
He said he believes the group of thieves was likely in the store, scoping out his valuable merchandise prior to the theft.
“I had to have some encountering without a doubt. I think just based on footage and the way they came in timewise, how long they spent, how they knew how to get out, how … to leave,” he said.
It’s unclear what the thieves used to break through the window, but Holiday told FOX 32 he’s going to invest in security upgrades.
“I have to change the styles of windows that I have now. … Very costly. These are thousands of dollars to replace these windows. It’s expensive,” he said.
Police are investigating the blatant heist. No arrests have been made. (WFLD-TV via Elite Sports Cards)
Holiday explained that he’s a small business owner who has worked diligently to be successful, sharing a message directed to the thieves.
“You took away from my family, you … took away from what I worked hard for every day,” he said. “This is something that’s not given to me. I worked for this. I earned this.”
The Chicago Police Department said it is investigating, but no arrests have been made.
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