Above: HN photo from last evening’s game shop burglary in Hyannis. Insert: Surveillance image of Mashpee game shop heist suspect on Black Friday, courtesy Darkwater Games on Facebook/ HN edits

HYANNIS, MASSACHUSETTS – Cape Cod’s trading-card community is on high alert after a masked burglar struck Vanguard Tabletop Gaming in Hyannis late Monday night — using the exact same low-tech but effective method employed only days earlier in a $36,000 theft from Darkwater Games in Mashpee.

Shortly before midnight last evening – December 1, 2025 – Barnstable Police responded to a burglar alarm at Vanguard Tabletop Gaming, located at 795 West Main Street. The first officer on scene immediately called for backup, reporting a “fresh break.” Multiple patrol units and a K9 unit locked down the building while a police drone circled overhead.

Surveillance footage showed a lone suspect — described as medium to heavy build, wearing a ski mask, olive-green beanie, olive-green pants, navy-blue sweatshirt, and carrying an oversized backpack. The suspect is believed to have shot out a glass rear sliding door with a high-powered BB or pellet gun. According to sources, once inside the suspect made a beeline for high-value product, ignoring all other merchandise.

One responding officer described the job as looking “professional,” noting the suspect clearly knew exactly what he wanted and where it was kept.

Sources say the method of entry and the targeted items match the burglary reported at Darkwater Games in Mashpee on Black Friday morning, November 28. In that incident, the thief smashed a glass door and stole approximately $36,000 worth of inventory, including graded Pokémon, Lorcana, and Yu-Gi-Oh cards!

Darkwater Games released the following statement on Facebook the same day:

“This morning we came to open up our store for our Black Friday Weekend Sale. We discovered it was covered inside with broken glass, and a large part of the inventory was stolen including sealed Magic product and Pokemon/Lorcana/Yugioh graded cards.

Attached is the best photo we have of them inside the building. We will be distributing a list of all the graded cards and serial #’s for them in the comments below. Please be on the lookout for them. Any person providing information leading to an arrest of the person will be given a reward.

With that being said, I don’t have the words to explain how grateful we are to have the wonderful community we have built over the past 10 years rally for us. Starting the day by discovering this theft brought the entire team down into the dumps. But you, our patrons and friends coming in, sharing stories, and continuing to shop while we worked to clean up the tremendous amount of damage and work with the authorities brought our moods up. We didn’t have the day we planned, but we still had a heck of a good day with all of you! You are all awesome, and we truly appreciate all of you.

We will be continuing our sale throughout the weekend.

From the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU!”

Above: November 28, 2025 images of the suspect and broken glass door at the Mashpee heist… from the Darkwater Games Facebook page/ HN edits

The store has since posted a detailed list of stolen serial numbers on their Facebook page and continues to offer a cash reward for information leading to an arrest.

Mashpee Police are still investigating the Black Friday burglary, while Barnstable Police and the Barnstable County Sheriff’s Crime Scene Unit process the fresh Hyannis break-in from last evening. Investigators are combing through nearby surveillance footage. It is currently believed the suspect likely had a getaway car waiting close by.

Anyone with information about either burglary is asked to contact:

Mashpee Police Detective Donnis at 508-539-1480 ext. 7237
Barnstable Police Department at 508-775-0387

Collectors and local shops are urged to watch for anyone trying to unload high-end graded Pokémon, Lorcana, or Yu-Gi-Oh! cards — or sealed product — at suspiciously low prices.

Meanwhile, the hunt for the “Pokémon Card Bandit” continues…

P.S. – Today’s Hytown Vignette is brought to you by The Payolas…

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