In the early hours of Monday, a black truck was driven into the warehouse entrance of Northwest Sportscards, a specialty card retailer on 6th Avenue in Tacoma. The incident, captured on the shop’s security cameras, shows masked burglars ramming the door just after 5 a.m., loading dozens of containers with hundreds of boxes of Magic: The Gathering and Pokémon cards, and fleeing the scene.

Within a minute the same vehicle returned, repeating the ramming maneuver and taking additional inventory before finally leaving the premises. Police estimate the stolen merchandise is worth about $50,000.

Owner’s response and past incidents

Don Knutsen, the owner of Northwest Sportscards, told investigators the thieves appeared to have scouted the shop in advance. “It hurt. They got us pretty good,” Knutsen said. “These guys had cased the place, no doubt about it.” He added that the same truck and method were used in a July break‑in attempt that was thwarted, and a separate August incident in which burglars smashed a window and stole thousands of dollars in sports cards.

Knutsen believes the recent surge in collectible‑card values since the COVID‑19 pandemic has made retailers like his a target for organized theft. “The price of sports cards and memorabilia and gaming cards has skyrocketed since COVID, and, since that time, we’ve had a lot more problems,” he said. “It’s hard, you know, it’s tough on myself, my wife, my family, the employees here. It’s devastating.”

Police investigation and community appeal

The Tacoma Police Department is treating the case as a serious property crime and is reviewing the video footage for leads. Detectives are also looking into whether the same individuals are responsible for the earlier break‑ins.

Knutsen is offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest. He is reaching out to other card dealers and hobby shops in the region, hoping the thieves will try to fence the stolen inventory and be identified.

“Hopefully that will help inspire someone to turn them in, because somebody knows who these guys are,” Knutsen said.

Impact on local hobby community

The theft has sent ripples through Tacoma’s gaming and collector community, which relies on small specialty shops for rare cards and a gathering place for enthusiasts. Local hobbyists expressed concern over the growing security challenges faced by businesses that deal in high‑value collectibles.

While the investigation continues, police advise merchants to review security protocols, consider reinforced entryways, and stay vigilant about suspicious activity.

Original reporting: KIRO 7 (Tacoma / Pierce County stories) — read the source article.