Pokemon fan attacked and robbed after buying Pokemon cards
YouTube: PokeMans AlexA 22-year-old man in Japan was attacked and robbed over Pokemon cards on September 24. The Trading Card Game fan had just purchased the newly-released Fusion Arts set at a midnight launch.
2020 saw the biggest Pokemon card boom the hobby has ever seen. With the rise in Twitch box openings and YouTubers like Logan Paul showing off their latest PSA 10-graded slabs, fans in the masses scurried to their parents’ attics to dig out their childhood collections to see if their old collectibles were worth anything.
This also caused new products to soar in popularity, with 2021 having a major shortage and retailers like Walmart and Target either enforcing purchase limits or refusing to sell cards altogether due to high demand and people behaving inappropriately in stores.
The Pokemon CompanyMan assaulted and robbed over Pokemon cards
As reported by Nippon TV, a 22-year-old college student was assaulted and robbed in Hiroshima, Japan after attending the midnight launch for the Fusion Arts Pokemon card set, worth around $50, at their local 7-Eleven store.
His alleged attackers fled the scene in a car after complaining to the fan about his new purchase and then punching him in the face, which caused severe bruising, and stealing the box. Local law enforcement claims the perpetrators drove from store to store in hopes of scoring the set – but it had sold out everywhere – before they spotted the fan.
A 24-year-old man was taken into police custody and questioned over the situation, which authorities are classing as robbery and assault.
This isn’t the first time a fan has been attacked over the series, with a similar assault happening in August 2020 over a Pokemon Go Gym takeover and a second just six days later.
With the beloved franchise in the midst of its 25th-anniversary celebrations, demand for products is higher than ever as fans and scalpers alike are looking to splash their cash on the latest sets.
H/T: Nippon TV