Geeky thieves steal fantasy cards worth thousands

Police believe the thieves may be involved either in gaming or collecting, as they stole only the more valuable cards. However, they described the robbery itself as “amateurish”, saying in a statement: “They first tried to break an unlocked door. At the next door, they caused several thousand francs' worth of damage getting it open.”

The most expensive cards in the booty were Conflux (480 francs), World Chaos (400 francs) and Alora (330 francs).

The theft took place in Dielsdorf, between midnight and 10am on Sunday morning while the neighbouring restaurant was closed. The property, run by Markus and Regula Stocker, both in their 40s, is a meeting place for gamers as well as the base for an online sales business.

The police are appealing for witnesses and any gamers who have been offered cards “in a suspicious way”. They will also examine an empty drinks bottle left behind at the scene for DNA.

Magic: The Gathering is a game for two or more players, incorporating over 11,000 cards which players must trade in person or online. Each card represents a spell, creature, character or artifact, which players use to try to defeat their opponents in 'battles'.