Warrant issued for suspect wanted in Pokémon card thefts in South Jersey
Police are still trying to identify a second suspect allegedly working with Rafael Gordian.
WASHINGTON TWP., N.J. (WPVI) -- Police in Washington Township, Gloucester County, have issued an arrest warrant following a series of break-ins at card shops in South Jersey.
Rafael Gordian, 31, is facing burglary and attempted burglary charges. Police say he was one of two suspects wanted in several incidents.
The most recent incident happened around 2 a.m. Wednesday at Lurk Cards and Collectibles in Gloucester Township. Two thieves stole about $1,000 worth of products after breaking into the business, according to manager Julian Salugao.
Police believe the same suspects are tied to two other incidents in Washington Township -- one on July 1 and another on July 10.
Gordian and another suspect allegedly used hammers to break into Frank's Card Shop on July 1 and stole about $10,000 worth of Pokémon cards.
The suspects then allegedly tried to hit Frank's again on July 10, but they were unsuccessful.
Officers say Gordian was pulled over for traffic violations just minutes after the attempted break-in, allowing officers to later connect him to the crime through body camera and surveillance footage.
WATCH: 2 South Jersey card shops targeted in overnight break-ins for Pokémon cards
Authorities say Gordian was driving in the wrong direction on Route 42 when he was stopped about a half-mile away from the store on July 10. During the stop, officers questioned him.
"Where you say you're coming from?" an officer asked on body camera footage.
"My friend's house," Gordian responded.
When asked what he had been doing, Gordian told officers, "We were just hanging out, chillin'. He's about to be in the military."
Washington Township Police Chief Patrick Gurcsik said officers noticed additional concerns.
"When the officers made that stop, his license plate was also covered, which raised suspicions by our officers," he said.
Officers administered a field sobriety test, which Gordian passed, and he was allowed to leave.
Later that morning, shop owner Frank Romean reported the attempted break-in, and detectives matched Gordian to the incident.
"It's funny how things work, but very happy to hear we're making progress," Romean said.
"It's alarming," Gurcsik said.
"It shows that people are going insane for Pokémon cards, and it's a good thing demand is up, and everyone wants it, but at the same time it does bring bad characters into it," Romean added.
Police are still working to identify the second suspect, who never got into the passenger seat of the red Ford Taurus seen that morning.
"Let's make sure these people are off the streets, the shops are protected, local businesses are protected, and we can get back to doing the hobby things we love," Romean said.
Police say Gordian has a criminal history and faced charges in Philadelphia. Anyone with information about his whereabouts or the second suspect is asked to contact Washington Township police.
Store owners say they have increased security and now remove valuable products from shelves before closing.
