Combined losses in Canada and the United States are estimated at several hundred thousand dollars. In June, Laval police counted 30 incidents involving Pokémon cards, 11 of them since March 1, 2026. Some thefts involved violence, with victims sprayed with pepper spray.
In September, binders worth about C$18,000 were stolen in Alberta. In Winnipeg, an intruder entered a shop through its ventilation system and left with roughly 20,500 cards.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police urged shoppers to be cautious when buying rare cards online. Some have identifying numbers, but there is no simple method to authenticate every card.
University of Alberta professor Utku Akkoc points to nostalgia and limited supply as factors driving interest. Logan Paul sold a Pikachu Illustrator card this year for US$16.5 million after paying more than US$5 million for it in 2021. The card was awarded at a Japanese illustration contest in 1998, was never produced for general retail and received Professional Sports Authenticator’s top grade of 10.