
If you don’t trust your friends with your valuables, this story might bolster your paranoia: two 20-year-old salary men were arrested yesterday in Kōbe for stealing a 15-year-old kid’s Yu-Gi-Oh! cards.
The alleged thieves visited their friend on February 18 and finding he wasn’t there, they made off with his card collection. They are suspected of stealing the cards for resale — the 320 cards have an estimated worth of 70,000 yen (~US$685).
The event is just one in a list of adults stealing anime, manga, and video game-related merchandise. A 32-year-old male construction worker pilfered a Nintendo 3DS system from a grade schooler in April, a Saitama police officer stole his coworker’s anime DVDs, and a man and two teens made off with a Dragon Ball Z vending machine in 2008.
Source: Kōbe Shinbun NEXT; Image from Chibi22
More from Anime News Network

Tokyo police arrest two men for theft of 4.98 million-yen Yu-Gi-Oh! card
Man climbs down side of building in Tokyo to steal…a bunch of Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh! cards
Otaku crime: Kyoto police arrest man for selling counterfeit ultra-rare Yu-Gi-Oh! card
Real-life heart of the cards? Amazing Yu-Gi-Oh! hand floats up to man in Japanese river【Pics】
Foreign residents of Japan prohibited from participating in Yu-Gi-Oh Japan Championship
Krispy Kreme Japan is bringing two special donuts to the most-forgotten big city in the country
Japanese temple burns to the ground, fire burning inside for 1,200 years unharmed
Starbucks Japan hoping fans will go bananas for its new mottainai banana affogato Frappuccino
Man in Japan calls in bomb threat because he doesn’t want to go to his own work farewell party
Japanese vending machine find introduces us to a new drink you can’t get anywhere else
Memorial bell inside Hiroshima’s Peace Park has been silenced, but for a sweet reason
Tokyo’s life-size Gundam anime mecha statue will be removed this summer
Japan has a new cute and clever sunblock for cat lovers
Japan’s izakaya pubs closing at record pace, failing to attract foreign tourists
Pokémon Company to require Japanese government ID cards for some online Pokémon card purchases
Kanji ice cream becomes a sell-out hit in Japan
Ichiraku Ramen-inspired ramen sets from Naruto anime pay homage to Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura
Hundreds of rose bushes in bloom at Tokyo’s off-the-beaten-path, next-to-the-tracks flower street
This Tokyo Station sweets sensation sells out daily, but we finally got our hands on it
Studio Ghibli’s president is leaving the company. Will it change how they make anime?
161-year-old Kyoto confectionary maker releases new edible Pokémon lineup
Let’s hike a Japanese mountain (that isn’t Mt. Fuji) – Mt. Tsukuba[Photos]
The average age of Japan’s hikikomori shut-ins is getting older, survey shows
Japan enters Golden Week vacation period, survey shows one in three plan to ride it out at home
New Kyoto Converse sneakers celebrate Japan with traditional kimono fabrics for your feet
Japan’s new Pokémon jackets give you the look and powers of the Kanto starter trio
Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]
Japan now has gyoza doughnuts, and they taste like no other doughnut we’ve tried before
Studio Ghibli launches huge new anime movie T-shirt collection with special design details
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Ultra-rare Yu-Gi-Oh! card goes on sale in Tokyo’s Akihabara for 45 million yen
How much would it cost to recreate Yugi’s Yu-Gi-Oh! deck?
Chinese criminal’s Yu-Gi-Oh card reaches astronomical price before auction is shut down
Yu-Gi-Oh card bath towels in Japan keep duelists’ backs dry, if they have the skill to obtain one
Every Yu-Gi-Oh! card ever, all in one place at awesome Tokyo train station display 【Photos】
Yu-Gi-Oh! collector parts with ultra-rare cards worth more than $5,000 each, for his daughter
Japanese police face criticism for improper handling of stolen Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh cards【Video】
Crows in Japan spotted playing with Yu-Gi-Oh! cards, may have exploitable bias in deck-building
Wife takes revenge on cheating husband by auctioning his Yu-Gi-Oh! collection for millions of yen
Believe in the nap of the cards with the crazy Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Disk Nap Pillow【Photos】
Yu-Gi-Oh! brings anime battles into real-life with amazing fan-made dueling arena【Video】
Yu-Gi-Oh! creator’s dead body found floating in ocean off coast of Okinawa
Yu-Gi-Oh! Millennium Puzzle wristwatch/pendant will help anime fans keep track of time in style
Real Life Yu-Gi-Oh! augmented reality prototype aims to make your duels as cool as the anime’s
You can eat the Yu-Gi-Oh burger that ate you at Coco’s Japan【Photos】