Cape Cod's gaming store community is being hit by a serial theft incident involving high-value trading cards, with the most recent burglary taking place at the Vanguard Tabletop Gaming in Hyannis. In a break-in remarkably similar to the one in Mashpee days earlier, a suspect targeted the store last night, just days after Darkwater Games suffered a $36,000 heist. According to Hyannis News, Barnstable Police were called to the scene late yesterday, December 1, with reports of a suspect employing a method of entry involving the shattering of a glass rear sliding door.
Law enforcement deployed multiple patrol units and a K9 unit that secured the site, with a police drone overhead, after a "fresh break" was reported by the officer who arrived on scene first, as per Hyannis News. Descriptions from surveillance footage depict a suspect with a medium to heavy build, masked and dressed in an olive-green beanie, olive-green pants, and a navy-blue sweatshirt. This suspect reportedly bypassed lesser items, focusing on the more valuable high-end cards. The similarity in the suspect's profile and approach has led authorities to suspect a link to the previous break-in at Darkwater Games, as per the report from WCVB.
The Mashpee theft, which occurred on Black Friday, saw the loss of roughly $36,000 worth of Pokémon, Lorcana, and Yu-Gi-Oh! cards from Darkwater Games after the glass door was smashed in. After sharing a list of stolen cards and their serial numbers, the store received a flood of community support. "We didn't have the day we planned, but we still had a heck of a good day with all of you!" the store expressed gratitude in a Facebook post obtained by Hyannis News.
Mashpee Police are still on the case of the Black Friday burglary, while details of the recent Hyannis incident are still being pieced together by Barnstable Police and the Barnstable County Sheriff's Crime Scene Unit. With the suspect potentially having a getaway car nearby, authorities are urging local shops and collectors to be vigilant for high-end trading cards being sold at unusually low prices. "Collectors and local shops are urged to watch for anyone trying to unload high-end graded Pokémon, Lorcana, or Yu-Gi-Oh! cards — or sealed product — at suspiciously low prices," reported Hyannis News. The community is asked to contact Mashpee Police Detective Donnis at 508-539-1480 ext. 7237 or the Barnstable Police Department at 508-775-0387 with any pertinent information.
