A Naples Pokémon card shop owner was stunned when a regular customer was caught breaking into his store and stealing thousands of dollars worth of merchandise, according to the Collier County Sheriff's Office.
Collier County deputies arrested 34-year-old Francisco Alvarez of Bonita Springs after responding to an alarm at Gorka’s Poke Barn on Rail Head Boulevard around 12:05 a.m. on Friday, March 24.
Alvarez cut the power to the store and forced his way inside using a grinder. He then disabled the security cameras and attempted to leave with a large black trash bag full of merchandise and a backpack stuffed with Pokémon cards. When confronted by deputies, Alvarez initially provided two fake names before revealing his real identity, according to the previously convicted felon's arrest report.
“My heart was racing. My heart is pounding the whole way here. I put my life savings into this business," said Justin Gorka, the owner of the business.
Gorka, alongside other regular customers, said Alvarez was no stranger to the shop and had visited multiple times, even spending hundreds of dollars on cards in the past.
“I knew him. He was here multiple times. He was here when I had all three of my kids as well. So it made the situation kind of awkward,” Gorka said.
Alvarez left some merchandise on the shelves, but prioritized high-value boxes and cards, showing he was knowledgeable of inventory and prices, according to the shop owner.
“He was just trying to take the best of the best. When we counted everything with the police, he had over $15,000 in merchandise,” Gorka said.
Regular customers tell Gulf Coast News they recognized Alvarez's mugshot immediately from previous interactions.
“It did blow my mind. I was really shocked because this guy was giving me his number, saying like, ‘Hey, we can go open our packs together.’ Turns out he wasn’t trying to open up packs with me, he was trying to open packs for free," said Dillon Gallegos, a frequent shopper at Gorka’s Poke Barn.
Alvarez, who has a history of burglary and theft charges dating back to 2018, now faces four felonies: burglary, possession of burglary tools, grand theft over $20,000, fraud, and larceny/damage to utilities. He is accused of planning to resell the stolen cards.
Gorka had one final message for the suspect: “Good luck opening Pokémon cards in jail.”