Dunning Memorabilia Shop Facing $100,000 Loss After Thieves Target Rare Pokémon and Sports Cards

Thieves stole $100,000 in sports and Pokémon cards from Elite Sports Cards and Comics in Dunning. Owner Ronnie Holloway fights to keep his dream shop open.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 24, 2026, 10:44 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Block Club Chicago

High-Value Heist Under Cover of Darkness

A precision burglary at a Dunning neighborhood card shop has left a local small business owner struggling to recover from a six-figure loss. Around 2:00 a.m. on Monday, thieves smashed the front window of Elite Sports Cards and Comics, located at 3406 N. Harlem Ave. The suspects were inside for only a few minutes, yet they managed to identify and strip the shelves of more than $100,000 worth of merchandise. Owner Ronnie Holloway, who arrived on the scene minutes after the break-in, described the event as a devastating blow that left him struggling to process the scale of the theft.

Targeted Theft of Rare Collectibles

The burglary appears to have been a calculated operation rather than a random act of vandalism. Holloway noted that the perpetrators bypassed lower-value items to specifically target sealed, high-value card packs. Among the stolen inventory was a single case of newly released football cards valued at $20,000. Additionally, the thieves made off with a significant stock of Pokémon cards that Holloway had specifically amassed in preparation for the upcoming Collect-A-Con trading card convention in Rosemont. The owner expressed concern that the stolen goods will be nearly impossible to track, as cases are typically broken down and sold as individual cards.

A History of Security Challenges

Monday’s incident marks the third time one of Holloway’s businesses has been targeted by professional thieves. In 2022, his Lincoln Square location suffered two separate break-ins, one of which involved a suspect physically removing bricks and window bars to gain entry. Although an arrest was made in that prior case, only four of the nearly $100,000 worth of stolen cards were ever recovered. Holloway, who worked as a professional bodyguard for high-profile figures like Michael Jordan and Barack Obama before entering the retail world, acknowledged that the rising market value of memorabilia has made local shops prime targets for organized crime.