Thieves are increasingly targeting mail-order sales of Pokémon and other trading cards, with envelopes being opened en route and contents stolen, costing small businesses thousands of pounds. A single card recently sold for £12m, and the surge in prices has led to a rise in opportunistic thefts, according to reports from affected shops.
Bath TCG halts online sales after targeted thefts
Ben Thyer, owner of Bath TCG, a card specialist store in the Bath area, reported a series of thefts from packages shipped on the same day in late July. “We always get the odd parcel going missing, but because it was sporadic, we put that down to unfortunate incidents,” Thyer told the Guardian. “Then we had a message [from a customer] with pictures of a cut-open envelope, and the cards were missing. Then there was a second, and then a third, and then there were seven – all of them from the same batch shipped on the same day.”
Thyer noted that each envelope had been sealed with Sellotape, which his business does not use. “We asked for images from each person, and every envelope had been Sellotaped … we don’t use Sellotape because we have brand new envelopes, and we use our own labels over the seals. It’s clear someone had done it deliberately,” he said. Images seen by the Guardian showed the envelopes were tampered with in the exact same way.
Financial impact on small businesses
Although the stolen cards were not of high value, Thyer decided to close down online card sales to avoid further theft and reputational damage. This has cost his business £4,000-6,000 in potential revenue, a significant sum for a small enterprise. Daniel Stack, director of Mana Rock Games, a Magic: The Gathering card seller also based in Bath, experienced similar issues over the same period. “I realised it was theft when two customers in different parts of the country sent me pictures of their packages already open with the contents missing, within minutes of each other,” Stack said. He noted that a package sent to France had also arrived opened a few weeks earlier, but he initially attributed it to a buyer taking a chance. In total, Stack estimated about £120-worth of cards had been stolen, despite having previously sent over 1,200 orders without issues.
Stack halted online sales for a week, losing £500 in revenue. Other sellers in the area have reported similar problems. Most UK card businesses sell through CardMarket, where buyers choose the delivery method, often opting for Royal Mail services. Cards are typically sent in distinctive hard-backed envelopes with shop branding on stickers or seals, making them easy targets.
Royal Mail investigates and businesses weigh risks
Royal Mail is investigating the issue and liaising with affected businesses. A spokesperson told the Guardian: “The safety and security of mail is a top priority and we take any reports of theft very seriously. We investigate concerns thoroughly and take action where necessary, including working with law enforcement.” Investigations are ongoing.
In the meantime, businesses must choose between risking theft and damaged reputation or halting online sales and losing revenue. With a new, highly sought-after 30th anniversary Pokémon card set due for release this month, retailers anticipate increased scalper and reselling activity, potentially leading to more thefts targeting online card sellers. The Pokémon Company has not yet responded to requests for comment on how they are addressing increased demand and thefts.
