SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Colin Miyajima and his daughter had just gotten into buying and selling Pokémon cards. This weekend, they went to their first show to sell some at Mira Mesa High School — and a man stole one of the most valuable cards in their collection, right out of Miyajima's hand.
The theft was caught on video.
"It happened to be one of the pricier ones in the booth. The moment I handed it to him... it was gone," Miyajima said.
The stolen card was valued at over $3,000, according to Miyajima.
"That was her favorite card in the collection... and he ripped that away from my child. She's not gonna be happy," Miyajima said.
Miyajima said he tried to chase the thief but was unable to because of a broken heel. He re-injured himself in the attempt.
"I thought he was joking, I thought he was gonna take two steps and run back," Miyajima said.
San Diego police are investigating the theft.
In the meantime, the Pokémon card community has rallied around the family. Someone gifted Miyajima a replica of the stolen card, and a GoFundMe campaign has raised money toward replacing it. The family is only seeking to raise enough to cover a third of the card's value.
For Miyajima, though, the money is secondary.
"She's excited about it. It's a young thing, and a way to just be with my daughter," Miyajima said.
Randall Estacio, the collectibles event organizer, said the theft prompted more security protocols. He says he's planning on having security guards and stricter protocols for vendors like Miyajima in the future.
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