Two local trading card businesses targeted by hammer-wielding thieves

LIVONIA Michigan WXYZ Two metro Detroit trading card shops were hit by hammer-wielding thieves in similar break-ins just days apart with the criminals specifically targeting Pokemon cards worth thousands of dollars The first occurrence occurred at RIW Hobbies Gaming in Livonia around a m last Friday Owner Pam Willoughby says she had to watch back her guard footage in horror Two masked individuals were seen smashing through the front door of her store At times the crooks smashed her property without purpose When I really watched them just standing in the building by themselves swinging a hammer it was a little unnerving it was an invasion Willoughby declared The target Pokemon cards thousands of dollars worth of them Right now Willoughby says the demand for the cards is through the roof It s kind of like a cycle Every to months you see it go up and down and now it s at an all-time high Willoughby noted about the demand of the cards Motor City Comic Con where hundreds of vendors set up to contract these kinds of cards began the very same day of the theft Willoughby says she doesn t believe that s a coincidence A sparse days later early Tuesday morning also around a m in Warren at Eternal Games yet another hammer-wielding suspect smashed through the front door of the business getting away with more Pokemon cards They didn t smash out showcase but hopped the showcase opened up the showcase and then crouched down and took took hopped over and left Eternal Games assistant manager Dakota Olszewski noted Last December News Detroit announced on two individuals posing as interested customers hitting card collectible businesses in Macomb County Since then St Clair Shores police say those men have been ascertained and prosecuted Now RIW Hobbies Gaming and Eternal Games are hoping for a similar outcome saying they lost more than just money and cards they lost their piece of mind Maybe they think because they got away with it they ll come back for something else Willoughby noted Both businesses are now stepping up defense and are putting out the message to other trading card businesses to be alert Warren police say at this time they are not connecting the two thefts but are exploring all options