GRANDVILLE, Mich. — The Gamer's Wharf, a veteran-owned gaming store in Grandville, has been a loved destination for trading cards and table-top role playing games for eight years.
Late at night on Saturday, Oct.19, their cameras caught a man breaking into the store, and then stealing around $20,000 worth of collector's items and other merchandise.
"I got a call from the owner around two o'clock in the morning," said store manager Jason Jordan. "Front glass was broken, the person made entry and stole a bunch of stuff and then left before we knew what else was going on."
The store believes the man, who they describe as being a heavier-set and shorter male, has visited the store before, explaining he went straight to the collector booster boxes for Magic: The Gathering, before then taking some of their most valuable trading cards, and miniature sets for Warhammer.
The video then shows the man exiting through their gaming room at the back of the store.
"It hurts," said Jordan.
He explained that The Gamer's Wharf was founded by a local veteran who has aspirations of opening his own business based on his love for role-playing games.
"He opened shop and took that leap. He's a veteran, and he's a nice guy, and it just really sucks to have something like this happen to him," Jordan added.
While in the middle of moving to their new location at 2250 28th Street in Wyoming, the store regularly hosts daily events for Dungeons and Dragons and other games. Jordan says many have been coming to play for years, and it's their support that is helping them to recuperate.
"People from all over the state come and play and, you know, whether it's a card game or the tabletop game, like DnD, we just have fun," said Jordan. "We're in the business of fun, so that's what we do."
Insurance only covers a portion of their losses, Jordan says, so the financial loss will be felt by the store for a while. They hope the community can help find the man responsible.
"Justice is the individual that committed this act to be caught," said Jordan.
Those interested in donating to help with the store's loss of inventory can find that information here.
Anyone with information on this case is asked to contact the Grandville Police Department.