Winnipeg Pokémon Card Theft Costs Mulvey Market $70,000

Kenan Hyseni was left surveying empty display space after a Friday trade night at Mulvey Market in Winnipeg’s South Osborne area, where he says about $70,000 worth of Pokémon products and cards were stolen.

Hyseni, who owns and operates the market, believes someone hid inside after the event, waited for staff to leave and departed with a large blue bag before midnight. He said a building alarm was triggered and that a message or call from the landlord indicated someone had been seen on video leaving with the bag.

A devastating loss for a vendor

The missing merchandise included sealed Pokémon products, such as booster boxes and specialty collection boxes, along with individual cards and professionally graded cards, known to collectors as slabs, Hyseni said.

“There’s some boxes that were worth $4 or $5,000 and then there were some cards that were $3 to $4,000, as well,” Hyseni said.

He said he is still going through his inventory, particularly the cards, which he described as the most expensive portion of the collection.

The trade nights are meant to bring together collectors and vendors to buy, sell and swap cards. For Hyseni, the loss has carried an emotional weight beyond the dollar amount.

“There’s a lot of things that go through your mind, but mostly it’s just the disappointment and the disrespect,” he told CBC. “For this to happen to us or anyone else within the community is absolutely heartbreaking.”

Collectors rally around Mulvey Market

The theft has hit a close-knit local collecting community, according to vendors and collectors who spoke about the loss.

Shan Neri, who buys, sells and collects Pokémon cards at Mulvey Market, called it “terrible news,” describing Hyseni as someone who is there for people with their Pokémon needs.

Michael Restiaux said the incident felt personal in a community built around shared enthusiasm for the hobby.

“In a community that is so tightly knit, for something like that to happen, it’s just, it’s like a knife to the chest,” Restiaux said. “It’s terrible.”

Hyseni has urged collectors to watch for the missing items as he works to identify what was taken. Some professionally graded cards carry certification numbers that may help identify them if they surface for sale, according to reporting on the theft.

Insurance gap adds to pressure

Hyseni said he does not have collectors insurance because premiums are too expensive. Without recovering the stolen products, he said, he will not recoup the money lost.

“If I don’t get any of the product back, I won’t be getting any of my money back,” he said.

He has reported the theft to police and said he plans to rely on video while adding security measures, including more surveillance and security staff.

The challenge, he said, is that the person responsible was already inside the building.

“There’s no way anyone can get into the market from the outside because there’s alarms and everything all over the building,” Hyseni said.

Theft concerns extend across Canada

Multiple reports have described Pokémon card thefts in other parts of Canada, including similar break-ins in other provinces. The stolen goods can include sealed products and individual cards whose value makes them attractive targets.

Hyseni said the broader trend has made protecting the collecting community more important.

“Unfortunately, Pokémon has become a product that a lot of thieves, a lot of criminals are going to try and get their hands on,” he said. “The best way to prevent this is to protect each other within the community.”

For Mulvey Market, Hyseni said the next step is rebuilding while asking collectors to remain alert.

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