Man pulls off $24,000 Pokémon card scam at NJ police station, cops say
⚠️ Police say a Philadelphia man used fake cryptocurrency to steal a rare $24,000 Pokémon card.
➡️ The exchange happened inside the Safe Exchange Zone at the Evesham police station.
🔴 Investigators said surveillance cameras, license plate readers and other evidence identified the suspect.
EVESHAM — A Philadelphia man is charged with carrying out a bold plan to steal a valuable Pokémon card in the lobby of a police station, according to authorities.
Christian Elam, 26, of Philadelphia is charged with second-degree computer-related theft and third-degree theft by deception. He was arrested after returning from a trip overseas and was taken to Burlington County Jail, Evesham police said.
Investigators found that Elam pulled off a scheme to steal a $24,000 Pokémon card during a sale inside the Safe Exchange Zone at the Evesham police station. The zone is open 24 hours a day at 984 Tuckerton Road in Marlton. Police said cameras at the exchange zone were vital to catching him.
"While the zone provides a well-lit, video-monitored location for in-person exchanges, residents are reminded to independently verify payment before transferring property, especially when cryptocurrency, electronic payments, or high-value items are involved," police said.
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Police say fake cryptocurrency was used to steal rare Pokémon card
The Pokémon card seller said he put up a rare Poncho-Wearing Pikachu XY-P promo card for sale on Facebook Marketplace. Its art features the iconic Pokémon mascot in a black and blue outfit resembling Mega Charizard X.
The seller and Elam agreed to meet at the Safe Exchange Zone around 6:30 p.m. on June 14, police said. Elam transferred $24,200 worth of cryptocurrency to buy the valuable card; however, investigators said it was counterfeit crypto that held no real value.
Surveillance and license plate readers led detectives to suspect
Detectives used surveillance footage from the parking lot to determine Elam drove to the police station in his Volkswagen Jetta. Automatic license plate readers flagged the vehicle on the Betsy Ross Bridge shortly before and after the sale. Facial recognition and a matching tattoo on his left arm also put Elam at the scene of the card sale, police said.
New Jersey 101.5 did not know Monday whether Elam had an attorney who could speak on his behalf.
The importance of safe places to buy from online sellers
Safe exchange zones have become increasingly widespread since the killing of Danny Delgado in Mercer County. In March 2018, the 20-year-old Hamilton resident went to buy a PlayStation 4. However, Delgado was led into a trap.
Prosecutors said he was robbed and then spent his last minutes begging for his life. Delgado was bound, gagged, and placed into the trunk of a car. His killers, Rufus Thompson and Akmal Alvaranga, dumped his body in the Assunpink Creek in Hamilton.
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