Several trading card and gaming shops in Wichita have decided to take action against a series of thefts plaguing their businesses. In an effort to combat this ongoing criminal behavior, they have collectively offered a generous $2,000 reward.
The recent revelation is that the previous coverage merely scratched the surface of a larger narrative, which has prompted numerous small trading card and gaming businesses in Wichita to take action and address a recurring pattern.
Ernest Oliphant, co-owner of Rated-E Cards and Collectables, revealed that there have been approximately 8 break-ins to trading card stores in the past 6 months. The string of incidents started with Arena Hobbies.
Arriving at work to find a broken door and scattered cards on the ground was the reality that Oliphant had to face earlier this week.
According to Oliphant, the previous incident involving the theft of Yu-Gi-Oh boxes was relatively insignificant. However, this time, the theft was much more significant in scale.
Since November, his shop has been situated on Douglas and Grove. Within this short period, they have encountered two separate incidents of theft.
On the morning of January 6, two individuals were captured on security camera, with one of them wearing a mask, as they swiftly grabbed whatever they could lay their hands on. According to Oliphant, the store suffered a loss exceeding $7,000 within a matter of minutes.
Brian Hunter, owner of Wizard’s Alley, expressed his frustration over a recent string of break-ins at local stores. Two stores were targeted again over the weekend, marking the second time for each of them. Despite the recurring incidents, no arrests have been made and no significant action has been taken. Hunter finds the lack of progress concerning, as these break-ins have been occurring within a two-month timeframe.
In December, Hunter’s store experienced a robbery that was captured on camera, much like the incidents at Arena Hobbies and Rated-E. The thieves forcefully broke the door, with one of them rushing in to gather as many items as possible while the other kept watch at the entrance. They swiftly made their escape after the theft.
“We are faced with the challenge of constantly replacing doors and glass, and it is becoming unsustainable. We are actively seeking a solution or any means to mitigate this problem,” expressed Hunter.
Glass doors can be quite costly to replace, with each one typically ranging between $500 and $900. In light of this ongoing issue of theft, Hunter came up with a solution and shared it on Facebook.
The community was informed through the post that the local card shops have been in communication with each other. They have expressed their solidarity and have collectively decided to offer a cash reward of $2,000 for any valuable information that leads to the apprehension of the thieves.
Hunter expressed his belief that there is sufficient motivation for someone who possesses knowledge about the ongoing situation to come forward anonymously and receive a reward of $2,000. He hopes that this would effectively put an end to the current situation. Hunter also assured that the informant’s identity would be protected and not disclosed to anyone. Furthermore, he emphasized his eagerness to identify the perpetrator and bring them to justice.
Trading card shop owners are being targeted in a series of thefts. The motive behind these crimes is the widespread belief that selling trading cards can lead to quick riches. The culprits take advantage of the fact that these cards are hard to trace once they are stolen from the shop premises. Additionally, the ease of selling them online further entices thieves to target these shops.
