Burglars steal $100K in Pokémon, other cards from Chicago shop, owner says

Burglars steal $100K in Pokémon, other cards from Chicago shop, owner says

Burglars stole more than $100,000 worth of collectible trading cards after breaking into a Northwest Side shop early Monday.

CHICAGO - Burglars stole more than $100,000 worth of collectible trading cards after breaking into a Northwest Side shop early Monday.

What we know:

The break-in happened around 1:54 a.m. at Elite Sports Cards and Comics, located at 3406 N. Harlem Ave., in the Belmont Heights neighborhood. 

"It's not the call you want to get at 2 o'clock in the morning," said Ronnie Holiday, the owner of Elite Sports Cards.

Police said two offenders shattered the front window of the business, entered and took merchandise before fleeing in an unknown vehicle.

Holiday said the suspects appeared to target high-value items and knew exactly where to go inside the store.

Chicago trading card shop burglarized on NW Side

Burglars stole more than $100,000 worth of collectible trading cards after breaking into a Northwest Side shop early Monday.

According to Holiday, the thieves didn't touch the register. They broke in, hopped over the counter, went straight to the high-end cards and ran out.

Holiday said more than $100,000 worth of Pokémon, NFL and other collectible cards were stolen.

He believes the thieves were likely in the store at some point before the break-in. 

"I had to have some encountering without a doubt. I think just based on footage and the way they came in timewise, how long they spent, how they knew how to get out, how… to leave," he said. 

It's unclear what the thieves used to break through the window, but Holiday said he's going to make some costly security upgrades.

"I have to change the styles of windows that I have now… very costly. These are thousands of dollars to replace these window, windows. It's expensive," he said. 

No injuries were reported in the incident.

Holiday had this message for the thieves: 

"You took away from my family, you… took away from what I worked hard for every day. This is something that's not given to me. I worked for this. I earned this." 

Area Five detectives are investigating, and no one is in custody.