Stolen Pokémon card worth up to £30,000 reunited with owner in Sussex

A rare Pokémon card worth up to £30,000 has been reunited with its owner following a police investigation.

Police were called on 21 October by a company in Heathfield, East Sussex that grades Pokémon cards, a process to judge how valuable a card is worth.

The company reported that a valuable ‘Charizard’ card they sent back to its owner in Essex had not arrived there.

Officers believed the theft took place between 2 and 5 September in Heathfield.

Soon after it was discovered that the same ‘Charizard’ card was seen being sold on Facebook.

A 23-year-old man from Polegate was then arrested on 27 October on suspicion of theft. His home was searched where they found the rare care inside.

After a voluntary interview, the man admitted to stealing the card.

Police say he 'showed remorse' for his actions and he received a caution.

The rare card, valued between £20,000 and £30,000, was then returned to its owner.

A video appointment with the Heathfield company was made on the day of the report.

Police Constable Alan Russell, the officer who handled the initial investigation, said: “We identified a line of enquiry quickly and were able act quickly.

“It was a valuable item which meant a lot to the victim who had it stolen.

“The victim is happy that his card was returned and our teams worked really well together to solve this case.”

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