Pokemon card thief accused of trying to sell cards back to store he stole from

A man has been accused of stealing $20,000 worth of Pokemon and Magic: The Gathering cards – as well as trying to sell some of them back to the same store he had stolen them from a month prior.

This year has been one for the ages as it pertains to Pokemon card-related crimes, but no suspect may be as brazen as 37-year-old Myles Vaughn Pajnogac.

According to a report from the Bellingham Herald, shortly before midnight on August 9, a trading card store claimed it had been burglarized and over $20,000 worth of merch had been taken.

Police say the suspect entered the shop after first smashing its front glass door. He then proceeded to snatch Pokemon and MTG cards before disappearing into the night.

But, you know what they say: Criminals always return to the scene of the crime.

Man arrested after trying to sell stolen Pokemon cards back

One month later on September 3, an employee at the store called the cops after a man, identified as Pajnogac, was trying to sell back items that were stolen back in August.

Bellingham Police Lt Claudia Murphy said Pajnogac left the store when the employee confronted him about the stolen cards, but not before shouting, “I’ll rob you again.”

Luckily for the cops and the employee, in a panic, Pajnogac left the cards at the store and staff were able to determine they had the same characteristics as the ones that had been stolen.

Later that night, the police located Pajnogac and discovered he was in possession of both fentanyl and methamphetamine. Cops were also able to recover an additional $8,000 of stolen Pokemon cards.

The alleged thief was arrested and booked into jail on suspicion of first-degree malicious mischief, second-degree burglary, first-degree theft, second-degree possession of stolen property and first-degree trafficking.

Pajnogac was released the next day on his own recognizance.

This Bellingham incident is far from the only large-scale Pokemon card theft this year. Back in February, a man smashed through a store’s wall to steal $250,000 worth of cards.

July also saw a major crime when a man’s massive collection valued at over half-a-million dollars was taken in a heist that has yet to turn up any suspects.