‘Cereal’ offender busted for sneaky shoplifting trick at grocery store checkout
Police in Brea, California arrested a repeat shoplifter who used an unusual tactic to steal Pokémon cards and other merchandise by hiding them inside cereal boxes.
According to the Brea Police Department, the suspect followed a very specific method. Investigators say the individual would take trading cards and other small items from store shelves and place them inside empty cereal boxes before heading to checkout, hoping the hidden items would go unnoticed.
Authorities said officers were able to identify the suspect and recover the stolen property during their investigation. The arrest was made without incident.
Photos released by police showed large stacks of Pokémon cards alongside more than a dozen opened cereal boxes, including Honeycomb, Kix, Corn Flakes, and Cheerios. Additional images showed a variety of other recovered merchandise that investigators believe had been taken during the thefts. Those items included electric razors, calculators, bottles of shampoo, printer ink cartridges, and women’s undergarments.
In a social media post, the department joked about the suspect’s attempt to collect the popular trading cards, writing that while the individual was trying to “catch ’em all,” officers were focused on catching those involved in organized retail theft.
People responding online reacted with humor and curiosity about the case. Some Pokémon fans were surprised by the large number of cards recovered, while others joked about wanting the collection themselves.
The case comes as Pokémon cards and collectibles continue to be a target for thieves. Earlier this year in Los Angeles, criminals stole a collection of Pokémon cards and memorabilia valued at about $300,000 during two separate robberies, including one break-in that was captured on camera and involved the use of an electric saw.
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