Two men have been arrested in connection with the theft of a rare Pokémon card in Hillsborough County, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
The investigation began after a “Mega Gengar ex 284/217” card, valued at approximately $1,050, was stolen from a card shop on March 17. Deputies say Joseph Roque, 36, and Enrique Saucedo, 26, entered the store together, with one distracting a clerk while the other removed the card from a display case before both fled.
Detectives later linked the pair to a similar theft earlier in the month at another store in downtown St. Petersburg.
Authorities also discovered that Saucedo had an outstanding warrant from the Tampa Police Department on unrelated charges, including kidnapping, false imprisonment, and domestic violence battery.
Roque was arrested on March 20. Later that day, deputies conducted surveillance at a residence in Tampa, where Saucedo was believed to be staying. He was taken into custody without incident.
Both suspects now face grand theft charges in connection with the stolen Pokémon card.
