Thieves Swipe Thousands of Rare Pokémon Cards from YouTuber’s Business Supply

Thousands of pounds worth of Pokémon Trading Cards have been pilfered from Ace Grading, a card grading company located in Banbury, linked with TCG YouTuber Randolph.

According to a report by the BBC, the break-in occurred on Friday, 13th December and has been described as a “targeted assault” by Randolph and his company. Thames Valley Police estimates that cards valued at around GBP £250,000 have been stolen from the company’s base of operations.

In a video uploaded to his Pokémon-themed YouTube channel, Randolph — whose real name is Andrew Shane — discussed the incident, stating it appears to be a “professional break-in” and noted that no other items were taken or disturbed.

“This is undoubtedly the worst thing that could possibly happen for the community,” Randolph added, expressing concern that the team “doesn’t know” if they can recover from this incident.

In a separate statement, Ace Grading mentioned that individuals who have been impacted were reached via email or phone to inform them of which cards were taken and to discuss compensation claims. Those whose cards are secure will also receive notifications confirming their safety.

The police inquiry is still in progress, so Randolph isn’t able to share much more, but he has mentioned that the company has enhanced security measures since the theft.

Customers who utilize grading services send their cards to be assessed to receive a rating. Cards like Pokémon, Panini, Magic the Gathering, and others are reviewed and assigned a “grade,” which serves as a means of evaluating and preserving a card’s condition, as well as potentially increasing its value.

The value of these cards can often reach the thousands, if not more. In recent years, the hobby of card collecting — particularly Pokémon cards — has surged in popularity.

We will provide updates as we learn more about the situation.