Have you ever seen something that made you go “Oh my god. I MUST HAVE IT!” Whether it's a cute croissant jellycat, the latest Labubu or the Pokémon Prismatic Evolution Booster Bundle, everyone has that one item they’re willing to do almost anything to get their hands on. From standing in line for hours on end to dropping hundreds of dollars, as long as they get it, it's worth it… But where do we draw the line? Sometimes what started as a collection or hobby can border on obsession. This is usually harmless when people are just spending their own time and money; however, some people have chosen a rockier path. 

Just last April, a robbery took place where £20,000 (roughly 43,000 dollars for us Aussies) worth of Jellycat plushies was stolen from a UK shop. Now, stealing $43,000 worth of plushies is definitely not something you hear every day. Maybe some teen swiping a plushie once in a while, sure, but a heist of this magnitude? And for plushies of all things. This, however, isn’t an isolated incident; in fact, this is just the beginning. 

Jellycats aren’t the only collectible attracting crimes; Pokémon cards have also been a prime target. A man who organised a card trade in a car park in Wollongong was attacked and had $8000 worth of Pokémon cards stolen from him. The neighbours down south aren’t doing any better, as Pokémon card theft across several stores in Melbourne has racked up a whopping 1 million dollars worth of losses. 

These numbers are jaw-dropping and seem to only get worse. So what's really happening? Did your roommate suddenly want 40 jellycats, or was your cousin missing that one limited edition Charizard card and got desperate? Actually, that's not the case at all… well, at least not the full picture. These robberies actually share one thing in common: the stolen goods weren’t fully kept for personal enjoyment. These robbers may not even be familiar with the items they stole. Their real goal? To resell these items for double the price. These robberies were the work of none other than... scalpers. 

Scalpers are people who usually buy (or, in this case, steal) a large amount of product only to immediately resell it at a much higher price point. Scalping is usually seen in sports or concert tickets, but lately they have invaded the collectible world. Here, UNSW resident Pokémon card collector and seller Jin (@hao.jinn) provided some insider comments about the scalping situation. Pokemon card scalping is a new phenomenon that, a year ago, didn’t even exist. He comments that in the past, there were boxes everywhere, but now it has become increasingly difficult to get access to these products. Furthermore, scalping is one of the contributing factors to the hefty new price tag on these goods. A booster pack that in the past would sell for $180 has now risen to roughly $300. These items went from cute collectibles enjoyed by hobbyists to an alleged investment and money-making machine, with scalpers targeting genuine fans who just wanted to enjoy these products. This situation has also raised caution among sellers who are now limiting purchases to just 1 item per person to try to counteract the mass scalping.

The overall situation is also negatively impacting the community, as Jin notes that this has tarnished the hobby and caused people to drop out because they couldn’t keep up with the competition and the hefty price tag. Now, we have jellycats doubling or even tripling the original price, card shops limiting purchases per person, and thefts ranging from armed robbery to someone stuffing Labubus down their pants. Seems like we can’t even enjoy a hobby without someone trying to ruin it. 

This, however, is not a sign to give up. Just because some scalpers are involved doesn’t mean you should abandon your hobbies. Remember the whole point of collecting is personal curation. Jellycats, Pokémon cards, and all collectibles are meant for personal joy, not just to fill the shelves. When we collect with intention and not just for the sake of trends, the experience will feel more relaxing and rewarding. Ultimately, collecting is about community and how we connect with others who share the same interest, not who owns the most (seriously, it ain’t a competition). Although we can’t solve the high prices and scalping issue overnight, we can, however, buy products from local retail or specialty stores or even second-hand to avoid the scalpers. This not only helps your wallet but also your community. Remember, as much as we love our collections, they are not worth going to jail for. So stay safe, don’t get scammed and remember to have fun! 

Sources

Ram raiders take £20k/ $43K worth of Jellycat toys stolen from UK shop, https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g4d2xegd6o 

Violent theft of $8k Pokémon card in car park trade alarms retailers, Illawarra, 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04-29/pokemon-card-theft-warilla-wollongong-police-investigate/105227706 

Mr Craig told ABC Radio Melbourne thieves were clearly after Pokémon cards — 'singles' worth up to $1000 each and packs of cards. He stated that a conservative estimate of the combined value of Pokémon card thefts from these locations was approximately $1 million. (Melbourne), https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-14/pokemon-card-store-melbourne-burglaries/104933558

Malaysian man steals labubu by stuffing it inside his shorts, honestly - need I say more?, https://mustsharenews.com/man-labubu-shorts/ 

Hailey Sit is a second-year psychology student who watches obscure YouTube videos instead of doing her assignments. She’s passionate about books, music, anime, games - honestly, almost anything but especially loves animation. You’ll most likely find her happily bundled in her blanket, playing her usual gacha games as she cries over her 50/50.