Chicago man charged in armed robberies of Pokémon cards

CHICAGO - A Chicago man is facing several felony charges after police say he targeted people selling Pokémon cards online and robbed them at gunpoint last month.

What we know:

Anthony Garcia, 23, was arrested Tuesday in the 5200 block of South Troy Street and charged with five counts of armed robbery with a firearm.

Anthony Garcia | CPD

Police said Garcia used Facebook Marketplace to arrange meetings with people selling Pokémon cards. He then allegedly lured them into building lobbies, pulled a handgun, and stole the cards before fleeing on foot.

The incidents happened in the Gage Park neighborhood on the following dates:

• March 17 in the 5200 block of South Kedzie (20-year-old victim)
• March 27 in the 5300 block of South Kedzie (20-year-old victim)
• March 28 in the 5200 block of South Kedzie (19-year-old victim)
• March 29 in the 5300 block of South Kedzie (29-year-old victim)
• March 29 in the 5200 block of South Kedzie (21-year-old victim)

Dig deeper:

According to Chicago police records, Garcia was previously arrested in August 2025 for retail theft and in 2020 for armed robbery with a firearm.

What's next:

Garcia is due in court for a detention hearing on Thursday.