Man faces 20 years in jail for trying to steal $1.1K in Pokemon and Magic cards

It’s not every day you hear about someone pulling an actual heist for Pokemon and Magic cards, but that’s precisely what happened in Stafford County, Virginia.

The would-be thief, identified as 33-year-old Stephen Philpott, couldn’t quite “catch ’em all,” landing himself in handcuffs instead of in possession of the collectibles.

Philpott tried to swipe over $1,100 worth of Pokemon, Magic: The Gathering, and Yu-Gi-Oh! trading cards from a local Target.

Employees promptly tipped off authorities about a “larceny in progress.” According to the sheriff’s office, “Deputy J.A. Brooks was not playing Pokemon Go, for he was responding to Target for a report of a larceny.” Deputies then positioned themselves at the store’s exit, fully aware that the suspect was “about to leave the shop.”

And leave he did, setting off what the sheriff’s office humorously described as a very short-lived escape: “The fleeing suspect fled only a few feet before giving up and peacefully surrendering.” Philpott was detained not “in a Poke ball, but in handcuffs,” adding a dose of reality to his aspirations.

What Philpott seemingly didn’t realize was the gravity of his actions. In Virginia, stealing merchandise worth over $1,000 automatically upgrades the charge from misdemeanor to felony grand larceny. “Seeing the grand total activated Deputy Brook’s trap card to charge the 33-year-old with grand larceny,” the sheriff’s office noted.

But that’s not all for Philpott; he was a man already wanted. As the sheriff’s office revealed, Philpott was “also wanted out of Prince William County for grand larceny, and Stafford County for failure to appear.” In the Sheriff’s words, “While Philpott attempted to gather, catch, and draw cards, he instead was able to gather, catch, and be dealt all his warrants.”

Philpott’s attempt to emulate Ash Ketchum could now land him behind bars for up to 20 years. He may even share a cell with the prison guard who was arrested for stealing Pokemon cards just one week prior.