Two brothers have admitted their involvement in a series of burglaries targeting specialist Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) stores, with more than £71,000 worth of rare cards and collectibles stolen across two break-ins.
According to Cheshire Police, Keith Johnson, 33, pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary with intent to steal and was sentenced to 29 months in prison at Birmingham Crown Court on July 2, 2026. His brother, Shane Johnson, 37, also admitted the same offences and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 31, 2026.
Police traced the suspects through CCTV and stolen evidence
The first burglary took place on April 8, 2026, at Celestial Collectables in Warrington, where the suspects smashed the front entrance with a crowbar before ransacking the shop. Police said they stole approximately £62,000 worth of Pokémon cards while causing more than £3,000 in property damage.
Investigators recovered the crowbar at the scene, while CCTV footage identified a white Ford Transit van using cloned number plates. Further inquiries linked the vehicle to Keith Johnson’s home in Birmingham before it was later abandoned with Pokémon cards, burglary tools, and a branded box belonging to the store still inside.
Police also discovered CCTV footage showing the van breaking down after the burglary, forcing the brothers to push it down a road before transferring the stolen items into another waiting vehicle.
The pair later targeted The Graded Gallery in Rugby, stealing additional Pokémon cards and causing more than £9,000 in combined losses and damage.
Guilty pleas follow extensive investigation
Working alongside West Midlands Police, investigators eventually located both suspects after identifying another vehicle connected to the second burglary. Searches of Keith Johnson’s property uncovered keys to both vehicles, clothing worn during the crimes, burglary equipment, and additional stolen property linked to the Warrington break-in.
Commenting on the case, Detective Constable Hannah Smith said:
“The overwhelming evidence collected through our extensive enquiries put them at both crime scenes giving them no choice but to plead guilty. The brothers will now have to pay the price for their part in their criminal Pokémon enterprise.”
The case highlights the growing value of collectible Pokémon TCG cards, which have increasingly become targets for organized thefts as demand for rare cards continues to rise worldwide.
