Manhattan Pokémon shop robbed at gunpoint; community rallies around owners

Kotaku reports that earlier this month Poké Court, a Pokémon card and collectible shop in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District, was held up at gunpoint during a community event; masked robbers smashed glass cases and stole over $100,000 in collector’s merchandise. The gathering was a first-of-its-kind top-loader decorating event for the shop, which opened in November, and had about 40 customers and 14 employees inside when the robbers struck.

Owner Courtney Chin says she hit the store’s panic button and called the police; no one was hurt, but thousands of dollars of vintage and rare merchandise spanning Pokémon’s 30-year history was taken. The report situates the robbery amid a wider pattern tied to the scalper market, with other stores reporting armed robberies, pepper-spray assaults and even a reported tunnel-style break-in in Huntington Beach, Jerry Hernandez told the Los Angeles Times.

Chin says customers and staff largely stayed to give statements and support one another, and a community fund has raised thousands of dollars while creators and figures such as voice actor Sarah Natochenny reached out. The shop has received job applications and offers of in-store performances and food, and neighboring stores are checking certification numbers in case the stolen cards are offered for sale.

Key Topics

Culture, Poké Court, Courtney Chin, Meatpacking District, Pokémon Cards, Scalper Market