Thieves stole thousands of dollars worth of Pokémon cards in two different store break-ins in New Jersey this month, reflecting the trading cards' increasing popularity and value, according to authorities and store officials. About $10,000 worth of Pokémon cards were stolen in the first incident, Romean told ABC News. The thefts occurred amid an increase in similar incidents targeting Pokémon cards across the country due to a rise in their value and popularity, experts said. Sheldon, who has been in the trading card industry for decades, said Pokémon card values have been "skyrocketing." A pack's cards could be highly valuable or of average value depending on the luck of the draw.