Tampa men accused of stealing rare Pokémon card worth over $1K: HCSO

Tampa men accused of $1K Pokémon card theft: HCSO

A pair of Tampa men have been arrested in connection with the theft of a rare Pokémon card valued at more than $1,000, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

TAMPA, Fla. - A pair of Tampa men have been arrested in connection with the theft of a rare Pokémon card valued at more than $1,000, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

The backstory:

Detectives say the investigation began on March 17 after a "Mega Gengar" Pokémon card, worth approximately $1,050, was allegedly stolen from a Bay Area card shop.

According to investigators, Joseph Roque, 36, and Enrique Saucedo, 26, are accused of entering the store together, where one of them distracted a clerk while the other removed the card from a display case. Both men then left the business with the stolen card.

Courtesy: Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office

Dig deeper:

Detectives later learned Roque and Saucedo were also involved in a similar theft earlier in the month at another store in downtown St. Petersburg, HCSO said.

Roque was taken into custody on Friday. Deputies also learned Saucedo had an active warrant from the Tampa Police Department on unrelated charges, including kidnapping, false imprisonment and domestic violence battery, according to the sheriff's office.

Later that day, detectives say Saucedo tried to avoid authorities but was taken into custody at a Tampa home.

Both Roque and Saucedo are now facing grand theft charges related to the stolen Pokémon card.

What they're saying:

"Retail theft has a direct impact on our local businesses and the safety of our community. Our Organized Retail Theft detectives take these cases seriously and work diligently to identify those responsible," Sheriff Chad Chronister said. "We will hold anyone who targets businesses in our community accountable. We remain committed to protecting our business community and ensuring those responsible face consequences."