Gotta Steal ‘Em All: 26-Year-Old Ocala Man Arrested in Pokemon Card Theft

So, you know the Pokemon motto, "Gotta Catch 'Em All," right? Well, it seems like Louis Carmona of Ocala Florida, took it a bit too literally. Forget catching them, he decided to swipe 'em instead, and his grand heist went down at none other than the local Walmart.

Last week in Ocala, our man, 26-year-old,Louis Carmona, thought he could be the very best, like no one ever was... At stealing Pokemon cards. You know, those magical pieces of cardboard that transport you back to the '90s and make you feel like an absolute legend? Yeah, those.

According to WCJB, Carmona, fueled by a burning desire for Pikachu and friends, strolls into Walmart on Southwest Highway 200 on a mission. A mission to snag $200 worth of Pokemon cards. The Ocala man's got taste, you've got to give him that.

Now, our friend Louis isn't into complicated plans or elaborate heists. No, he's a man of simplicity. Armed with his wits and a sly grin, he heads over to the self-checkout, thinking he's outsmarted the system. But guess what? He didn't.

Surveillance footage caught our Pokemon bandit red-handed, or should I say, yellow-tailed? There he is, fumbling with the cards, trying to pull off the ultimate disappearing act at the self-checkout. But technology prevailed, and Pikachu would not be proud.

Marion County Sheriff's deputies, swooped in like Team Rocket to foil Carmona's Pokemon heist. They slapped him with a charge of retail petit theft, proving that crime doesn't pay, especially when it involves animated creatures and a stack of stolen trading cards.

Now, we're not legal experts, but we're pretty sure "I wanted to be the very best, like no one ever was" isn't a valid defense in court. Sorry, Louis, but the judge probably won't be impressed by your dedication to Pokemon mastery.

So if you're going to try and catch 'em all, maybe stick to legal means.

I recently found myself scouring GameStop, Best Buy and Target in Fort Myers, looking for Pokémon cards. They were for a birthday present. The birthday boy is an avid collector. I was determined to find the right ones. I am not well versed on trading cards so I  was shocked to learn that these old Pokémon cards are worth more than 10K each.

The numbers were put together by Hearts Land, on online card game site. They analyzed pricing data from Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA), then ranked the most valuable Pokémon cards. A spokesman for Hearts Land says, "Even during their release more than 20 years ago, first edition cards offered varying levels of rarity, with holographic or ‘shiny’ cards being the most highly prized, due to their limited appearance in Pokémon packs."

It's the holographic or holos that are on this list. The prices quoted are for first edition cards that are in  mint condition. Here are a few tips to determine if the old cards in your collection are first edition.

First, look to see if there is a black 'Edition 1' logo printed on the card. For most character cards, this will be printed halfway up the left side of the card. Next, for trainer cards, look for the logo at the bottom left corner. Also, the energy cards symbol can be found in the top right corner. Finally, for character cards there should be no shadowing around the border of the image displaying the Pokémon. 

There are cards that wont quite bring in 10k or higher. However, they are still worth a pretty penny.

Here is what to look for. These old Pokémon cards are worth more than 10K each.

Taking the top spot is the infamous holographic Charizard, with an estimated resale value of $181,900 for a gem mint condition copy. Considered one of the most sought-after cards ever, PSA reports one was last sold at collectables marketplace Goldins in January 2022 for $252,000. A near mint condition (NM 7) copy of the card could still get you $7,500.

Holographic Blastoise has an estimated resale value of $38,600. A gem mint copy of this water type Pokémon card sold for $23,433 on Ebay in January this year, according to PSA. A NM 7 holographic Blastoise is one to hold on to, valued at around $1,400. 

Holographic Chansey in gem mint condition is valued at $33,000. A perfect copy of this card last sold for $27,412 on eBay, a NM 7 grade copy is likely to only make you around $350 according to PSA price estimates. 

The psychic-type holographic Mewtwo is the only legendary Pokémon on this list with an estimated value of $20,600 for a gem mint copy. A card in less than perfect condition is significantly less. NM 7 Mewtwo (Holo) is valued at around $500. 

Holographic Venusaur is valued at $20,000 in gem mint condition. This card manages to retain much more of its value even if not in perfect condition, with a near mint copy of the card netting $1,000. 

Next, with a value of $15,000 is the holographic Clefairy card. Despite a gem mint copy of this card being less valuable than the aforementioned cards, a near mint holographic Clefairy is likely to resell for a respectable $500. 

Holographic Gyarados is the seventh most valuable in gem mint condition, with an estimated resale price of $12,000. One sold for $10,101 on Ebay in January early this year. However a NM 7 graded copy of the card is only $375.