Detectives with the Los Angeles Police Department are seeking more victims in a series of thefts they say occurred between January and June of this year involving collectible gaming cards, specifically Pokemon cards.

Theft Details

The thefts occurred between January 9, 2026 and June 9, 2026 in North Hollywood and Hollywood. In each incident, the suspect contacted sellers of collectable gaming cards through online peer-to-peer marketplaces and arranged to meet them to purchase items in cash.

Investigators determined that the suspect would meet near ATM machines and portray that he had just withdrawn money, placing it in a bank envelope. The suspect mixed some genuine bills with counterfeit bills when making the purchase, and the sellers did not realize the money was fake until they had left.

On June 11, investigators and the Huntington Park Police Department located the suspected thief, 34-year-old Zachary Mitchell, a resident of Los Angeles, during a traffic stop in the 2500 block of Zoe Avenue in Huntington Park. Multiple collectable cards and counterfeit $100 bills were found.

Mitchell was booked for Grand Theft at Van Nuys Jail. The case is being presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office for filing consideration.

Detectives urge anyone else who has not reported a theft but were victimized by Mitchell to contact the LAPD immediately.

Original reporting: NBC4 Los Angeles — read the source article.