Best Buy Intruder Arrested During Pokémon Card Release Event in Pasadena

PASADENA, CA — A local collector's extreme efforts to secure rare trading cards backfired when he was arrested inside a Pasadena Best Buy store on April 30, 2026. The individual had allegedly snuck into the retail location during business hours and hidden himself to guarantee first access to a highly sought-after Pokémon card drop scheduled for the following morning.

Security systems at the store detected the intruder long after the doors had closed to the public. Officers from the Pasadena Police Department responded to a commercial burglar alarm and searched the premises, eventually locating the suspect hidden among the store's shelving units.

According to authorities, the man had planned to wait out the night inside the store to avoid standing in the long lines that typically form outside the building prior to collectible card releases. Despite his claims of simply wanting to buy the merchandise, the act of hiding inside a locked commercial property led to charges of trespassing and commercial burglary.

Incidents of extreme behavior surrounding collectible items have risen in recent years, prompting retailers to enhance their security protocols during product releases to ensure the safety of both their staff and genuine customers.