Pokémon card thief jailed for £65k gaming store burglary

A Cardiff man who broke into a popular gaming store and made off with a massive haul of Pokémon cards and collectables has been sent to prison.

Phillip Hobbs carried out his carefully planned raid on Badzgaming at the M Cwmbran shopping centre on Monday, February 2, armed with a hammer and large takeaway bags to cart away his loot. The 45-year-old thief managed to steal items worth an eye-watering £65,000 before Gwent Police tracked him down.

When officers caught up with Hobbs, they also discovered he’d been handling a stolen motorbike. The defendant appeared at Newport Magistrates’ Court where he admitted three offences – burglary, going equipped for burglary with “a hammer and large takeaway bags”, and handling stolen goods.

District Judge Sophie Toms showed no mercy when sentencing Hobbs, of Emerald Street, Adamsdown, to 10 months behind bars. The court heard his prison term was handed down because of his “previous convictions and the high value items taken”.

The case serves as a reminder that Gwent Police take burglaries seriously, particularly when they target local businesses and involve such substantial losses.