A Denver toy store known to generations of local families woke up to shattered glass and a ransacked display case Tuesday morning after multiple people smashed through its front door overnight and made off with Pokémon and other trading cards. Timbuk Toys, located in the University Hills neighborhood, says the physical damage to the shop far outweighed what was actually taken.
The store sits at 2526 Colorado Blvd., and video of the break-in shows several people forcing their way through the entrance before fanning out inside, according to KDVR. The outlet reports the intruders destroyed a glass display case and left broken glass scattered throughout the store, describing the scene as serious damage. Timbuk Toys told the station that while only a limited amount of merchandise was stolen, the destruction left behind was significant.
Cards Taken, But Losses Described as Limited
Among the items the thieves grabbed were Pokémon and other trading cards, the station's report notes, though the store has not disclosed a dollar figure for what was lost. Timbuk Toys shared photos and video of the aftermath on social media, telling followers this was not what the store expected to wake up to as it faces the task of repairing the shop and cleaning up the mess left behind.
The store is now asking the community for any information that could help identify who was responsible, saying any tips would be helpful. No details on the time of the break-in or which law enforcement agency is investigating have been released.
A University Hills Fixture Since the 1990s
Timbuk Toys has been part of Denver's retail landscape for more than three decades. The shop was founded in 1993 and became one of the first tenants in the University Hills Shopping Center in 1997 before later relocating across the street to University Hills Plaza, according to the company's company history. Today Timbuk Toys operates four brick-and-mortar locations, three in Denver and one in Littleton, along with an online store.
Trading Card Thefts Have Hit Stores Elsewhere
Pokémon and sports cards have become an increasingly attractive target for thieves well beyond Colorado. In Minnesota, two St. Paul men are facing charges after allegedly breaking into an Eagan store and stealing more than $25,000 worth of Pokémon cards, according to KSTP. A separate burglary in Phoenix involved four suspects and roughly $70,000 in stolen cards, as Hoodline reported, and police in Orange County said nearly $1 million in rare trading cards was stolen from a FedEx truck parked near a Santa Ana business, per ABC7 Los Angeles.
Statewide numbers show a mixed picture for shoplifting in Colorado. The state logged 26,698 shoplifting reports in 2025, a 1.9% dip from the prior year but a 20.6% jump compared to 2023, according to coloradoan.com. At the same time, the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice reported that the state's overall property crime rate fell 17.3% last year, amounting to 28,126 fewer reported property crimes.
For now, Timbuk Toys is focused on repairs and cleanup rather than broader trends, and the store continues to hope that someone in the neighborhood recognizes the people seen in the surveillance footage.
