Pokémon Criminal Syndicate Stealing Crypto ATMs Gets Knocked Down
Australian police have dismantled an organized crime syndicate involved in burglaries targeting crypto ATMs and Pokémon collector cards. Over the last week, detectives from Melbourne arrested four people as part of their investigation into the commercial burglaries, a press release by the Victoria Police published on 17 February says. Multiple sites have shared a short video of an arrest.
The police allege that this organized group was involved in stealing six cryptocurrency ATMs from five different locations. Furthermore, they committed a series of burglaries at three collector card stores since mid-January 2025. “The investigation led police to uncovering an Aladdin’s cave of items, including approximately $50,000 worth of collectable trading cards,” the press release said. The cards include Pokémon, Disney Lorcana, Yu-Gi-Oh, Magic the Gathering, Dragon Ball Z, AFL, and NBA. At the same time, they allegedly used stolen cars to commit all these crimes.
The police also seized alleged stolen firearms, 100 stolen car keys, ammunition, a pill press machine, and stolen power tools. The criminals presumably used these in the crypto ATM theft. Patrick Watkinson, Detective Inspector with the North West Metro Regional Crime Squad, commented that “this was a highly organised and coordinated police operation.” The affected trading card community and industry partners assisted in “the dismantling of a significant network of offenders,” he said.
The Sidney Morning Herald reported that criminals burglarized a dozen shops over the past half a year. Business owners reportedly spent thousands of dollars enhancing security. Shop owners said thieves took some $1 million in trading cards and other stock. This “had left some businesses to consider shutting down for good,” the report noted.
Two Men Hit With 5-14 Charges
According to Detective Inspector Patrick Watkinson, the police apprehended the main offenders “who were sharing their criminal trade craft with lesser offenders.” The top people seem to have been assigning tasks and paying others to commit criminal acts. Watkinson said that the police identified the lesser offenders supplying stolen goods, as well as “the Middle Eastern Organised Crime Syndicates tasking the apprehended offenders.” The police released two of the four men pending further investigation, while two are facing significant charges.
One man (37) saw 14 counts that included burglary of commercial cryptocurrency ATMs and commercial games stores, possession of a trafficable quantity of firearms, and handling stolen goods. The other man (32) was charged with five commercial burglaries, three counts of theft of a motor vehicle, theft, unlicensed driving, possession of methamphetamine, and possession of a prohibited weapon, among others. “And to the organized familial crime syndicates operating across Melbourne – paying others to do your dirty work won’t keep you hidden,” Detective Inspector Patrick Watkinson said.
