A jail officer got caught trying to steal Pokémon cards worth around $200 on Aug. 12. He was still in his uniform when he got arrested in Calhoun County. 
Caught Red-Handed
Josh Dale Hardy, who works at the Calhoun County jail, went to Walmart right after his shift. He tried stealing the cards still dressed in his work uniform. Sheriff Matthew Wade shared that Hardy tried to hide his uniform by turning his shirt inside out. But, you could still see his badge.
Security at Walmart saw him and tried to stop him. Hardy ran, leading to a chase. Oxford police came fast and caught him. They took him to jail without any more trouble.
The Sheriff’s Reaction
Sheriff Wade was upset and embarrassed about the whole thing. He said he would tell the community when something serious happens with one of his team. Hardy lost his job at the Sheriff’s Office right after the sheriff found out what he did.
Not An Isolated Incident
Stealing Pokémon cards is not new. In June, a thief took about 30,000 cards plus other items, making away with goods worth $12,000. In April, there was a big upset in the Pokémon TCG community. People found out that some printing staff were taking rare cards. The Pokémon Company later said it wasn’t as bad as people thought.
Pokémon card thefts keep making headlines. It shows how popular and valuable these cards are. Fans and collectors need to stay alert and protect their collections.