A Pokemon card collector managed to recover thousands of dollars worth of stolen cards after the alleged thieves reportedly put them back on Facebook Marketplace using his own listing photos.
Canadian collector Emilio Kihien had arranged to sell three valuable Pokemon cards from his home in Coquitlam, British Columbia, after finding a prospective buyer through Facebook Marketplace.
According to CTV News, the buyer allegedly handed Kihien $4,000 in counterfeit cash before taking the cards and running away.
“I put the cards in his hand. As soon as they’re in his hand, he just starts running,” Kihien recalled.
Kihien chased after the alleged thieves and even clung to their getaway vehicle before eventually falling to the ground, leaving him with scrapes and road rash.
He contacted police afterward but claimed he was told there was not much officers could immediately do.
That changed just days later thanks to what turned out to be a crucial mistake.
Alleged Pokemon card thieves relisted collection using victim’s photos
Friends alerted Kihien to a new online listing offering the same Pokemon cards that had been stolen from him.
More importantly, whoever created the listing had allegedly used the exact same photographs Kihien had originally taken to advertise the cards.
“I’m just thinking, you know what? These guys can’t be the most intelligent of people,” he said.
Kihien and several friends decided to pose as interested buyers and arrange another meetup, this time at Metropolis at Metrotown in Burnaby.
Using sunglasses equipped with a camera to record the encounter, the group confronted the two men who arrived for the supposed sale.
“You guys are going to wait here,” Kihien can be heard telling them in footage of the encounter before instructing one of his friends to call police.
“The mission was hold these guys down until the cops can get there and get my cards back,” he explained.
Police eventually arrived at the mall and arrested two people, one adult and one youth. The investigation remains ongoing, with police saying potential charges could include theft.
Kihien ultimately recovered all three of his Pokemon cards, although some of their protective cases had been damaged.
Despite the successful outcome, Burnaby RCMP warned others against attempting similar confrontations.
“Vigilantism can only cause problems because no one knows who has weapons,” police said, adding that victims could themselves face charges if they confront someone and cause injuries.
Kihien also encouraged anyone arranging expensive Marketplace transactions to meet somewhere secure, such as a police station.
It is not the first time Pokemon card sellers in the Vancouver area have been targeted through online meetups. Earlier in 2026, police carried out a sting operation to catch a suspected serial Pokemon card robber accused of using Facebook Marketplace to arrange meetings before allegedly bear-spraying sellers and taking their cards.
In April, Vancouver Police arrested three teenagers after a seller was allegedly bear-sprayed while attempting to sell two Pokemon cards valued at $7,000 each through Facebook Marketplace. Police have repeatedly urged people completing online transactions with strangers to use designated safe exchange locations.
High-value Pokemon sales have resulted in similar cases elsewhere, including a man accused of using fake cryptocurrency to steal a $24,000 Pokemon card during a sale at a police department.
I’m Abhishek Sharma, an author at TigerJek.com. I enjoy exploring games, testing different strategies, and turning what I learn into clear, useful guides. My goal is to help players understand the game better and improve without the usual confusion.
