The Chicago Police Department is actively investigating a string of armed robberies involving a suspect who is preying upon Pokemon TCG singles sellers, according to WGN News.
The armed robber uses social media to target their victims by posing as a potential buyer on Facebook Marketplace. They contact sellers who listed their cards on the platform, set up a meeting to make the sale, and then rob them at the meet-up location. There have been four people robbed in this manner since mid-March. The most recent robbery occurred at a building in the 5200 block of South Kedzie Avenue on Chicago’s southwest side on March 29, 2026. This time, the seller was lured into the building lobby and had his cards taken at gunpoint.
The CPD described the suspect as a male, around 20-30 years old, with a height between 5′ 6″ to 5′ 10″; weight around 200 pounds. The suspect has a beard and wore black-framed glasses and dark clothing during that last robbery. If Chicago area residents have any information on the suspect, please call CPD’s Area One Detectives at (312) 747-8380.
Violent crimes involving Pokemon TCG cards have been on the rise in cities across the U.S. in 2026 (see “Pokémon Thieves Hit Stores on Both Coasts “).
Source: ICv2
