The suspect smashed through the trading card store’s window and stole $100,000 worth of rare Pokémon cards, including a Gold Star Charizard worth up to $20,000.
KILLEEN, Texas — Nearly $100,000 worth of rare Pokemon cards were stolen from a family-owned trading card store in Killeen during a break-in this week.
Evolution Street Trading Cards was broken into early Sunday morning when a suspect smashed through the front window and made off with some of the store’s most valuable inventory, including a Gold Star Charizard card worth up to $20,000.
Within hours of the devastating theft, neighbors, customers and local businesses began showing up with tools, materials and unwavering support to help co-owners Chris Grannis and his brother rebuild.
At approximately 2 a.m. on June 2, Grannis received an alarm notification. Security cameras captured a tall, light-skinned male wearing a black face mask, gray hoodie, black pants and gloves breaking into the store, located in the 1500 block of Lowes Boulevard.
“I watched the videos, saw someone break in, called the police, and immediately got over here,” Grannis said. “When you pull up and you just know something’s wrong and you feel it — gut-wrenching.”
The thief appeared to know exactly what he was looking for, targeting the store’s premium graded Pokémon cards. Among the stolen items were:
- Skyridge Umbreon (Graded 10)
- Gold Star Charizard (Graded 10) — valued up to $20,000
- FireRed LeafGreen Charizard EX (Graded 10)
- Numerous other vintage Pokémon cards
- $1,000 in cash from the register
The total loss was estimated at $93,000, comprising merchandise and stolen cash.
What happened next surprised the store owners. By 6 a.m. Sunday morning — just hours after the break-in — people were already arriving to help.
“Community wise, that was inspiring to see,” Grannis said. “We had people from Lowe’s here within 15 minutes of a phone call doing measurements on our window to see how we can get it fixed up.”
Local businesses donated materials and labor. Customers organized an impromptu fundraising trade night for Tuesday evening, complete with food, drinks and donated products.
“We didn’t ask for it, we didn’t want to do anything, and we contemplated on even being open today, still, the community outreach was so inspiring that we said, ‘Hey, we got to open today,'” Grannis told 6 News.
Evolution Street Trading Cards has been at its current location for nearly two years and been in business for almost four years total. The family-owned store has built a diverse community of collectors and players ranging from 3-year-olds to 80-year-olds.
“Pokemon cards and trading cards in general are something that crosses all ages,” Grannis said. “It’s just really interesting to see the widespread impact that trading cards can have.”
The store sells primarily Pokémon cards but also stocks Yu-Gi-Oh, Magic: The Gathering, and Disney’s Lorcana cards, serving as a gathering place for families, couples and friends who share a passion for collecting and gaming.
The burglary has prompted the owners to install additional security measures, including metal gates behind the windows. However, the insurance process has proven complicated.
“Trading card stores don’t really have a direct invoice process, so it’s very difficult,” Grannis said about working with insurance adjusters. “They’re gonna do their best to try and recoup what they can.”
For the Grannis brothers, the financial loss is secondary to the emotional impact.
“I’d rather get the product back for us rather than any dollar because it’s more about that feel of being violated,” Chris said. “Being able to recoup it, I think helps close that. If not, it’s gonna be a while until we’re really just back to where we think we should be.”
The Killeen Police Department is actively investigating the burglary. The suspect was last seen fleeing toward Bacon Ranch after exiting through the rear of the business.
Anyone who sees these high-value Pokémon cards being sold online or in person, or who has any information about the crime, is urged to contact the Killeen Police Department immediately.