Watch: Two men from Leeds arrested as police continue to hunt brazen Pokémon gang
Pokémon gang: Two men from Leeds have been arrested as police hunt brazen burglars after more than £20,000 worth of trading cards were stolen in a string of gaming shop raids.
Four different stores were broken into across Nottinghamshire over Christmas before crooks escaped with valuable and rare collectible trading cards - including Pokémon, Digimon, and Star Wars.
The first store to be targeted was The Dice Jail, in Southwell on December 25 after burglars smashed a door window and stole Pokémon cards, board games and cash worth £1,300.
Sanctuary Gaming in Sutton-in-Ashfield, was then broken into at around 4am on Boxing Day but most of the stock was recovered when the suspects fled and dropped it across the streets.
The following day crooks cut through fencing and removed bricks from a wall to gain access to a storage warehouse in Retford at 1am -before stealing Pokémon cards estimated to be worth more than £10,000.
CCTV footage identified a van involved in the theft travelling on cloned plates, which was tracked to a storage yard in Manchester, where two men were caught red-handed removing boxes of stolen goods from the vehicle.
The men, aged 24 and 26, from Leeds, were arrested on suspicion of burglary. They have both been released on bail.
A further burglary was reported to cops at Jakes Breaks, in Beeston, after thieves broke into the shop at around 6am on January 1.
CCTV shows the thieves smashing their way through a glass pane with a paving slab before stock of Pokémon and Magic: The Gathering collectable trading cards, with an estimated value of more than £9,000, was taken.
Owner Chris Wilmott, 44, said the intruders had plundered around £10,000 worth of stock - but missed one Pokemon card worth £1,200.
Chris said: "I was just shocked and disgusted.
"It was one of frustration, upset and I just felt crying. Why would they target us? An independent store."
Officers say forensic and extensive CCTV work is being conducted to locate those responsible as they continue to pursue several lines of inquiry.
Chief Inspector Paul Hennessy, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “We take all reports of burglary extremely seriously.
“Officers are continuing to pursue several lines of inquiry in relation to all these incidents.
“We have identified a number of potential suspects for all four burglaries, and our inquiries remain ongoing.
"The instances are clearly very similar in nature, and at this time, although we are not linking them, we are keeping an open mind.
“We understand the invasive and disruptive impact that burglary can have on the operations of a business, and officers continue to work to ensure those responsible are caught and put before the courts.
“We would always encourage business owners to take proactive steps to help prevent crime.
“Burglars clearly don’t want to be seen or heard, as this will expose them, so consider installing motion-activated security lighting and CCTV to cover entrances and blind spots.
“Securely lock all windows and doors, and don’t leave windows ajar that could be jemmied to gain access. Where possible, use robust bolts and closed-shackle padlocks.
“Always keep valuable items or stock stored in locked safes or cupboards, out of view.
“We’d urge both businesses and residents to be wary about what they share publicly online, as this could indicate to criminals that there are valuable items stored at their address.
“Security mark your valuables and keep records of serial numbers, as this will make it more difficult and less desirable for criminals to sell on.
“Although these steps may seem simple, they are effective at reducing opportunities for burglars and helping to prevent people from falling victim.
“We have already received some vital information from members of the public and would urge anyone with any other details that may assist our investigation to contact us as soon as possible.
“If you see any suspicious activity, report it to Nottinghamshire Police on 101, or 999 in an emergency.”