Beloved cards and comics store in Lacey burglarized early Friday morning, police say
Gabi’s Olympic Cards and Comics in Lacey was the victim of a burglary for the second time in two years, with the same type of products stolen both times.
Police have no active leads, and they’re asking anyone with information regarding the suspects to contact the department.
Sgt. Jeremy Knight said police were dispatched at around 12:20 a.m. Friday morning to an alarm at the business on Pacific Avenue Southeast. Police arrived about six minutes later and found a vehicle had driven through the front doors.
Police searched the building but didn’t find anyone, although there was a clear path of travel indicating people did enter the building.
Owner Gabi Shephard Trautmann told The Olympian the suspects took sealed Pokemon products. She said the store was burglarized once before, and the same type of products were taken.
Shephard Trautmann said she was grateful for how many community members showed up to check on her and the store later Friday morning. She said she was still in shock from the incident, having only been made aware of it around 9 a.m.
“The damage to the building is what is affecting me the most right now,” she said. “I built this building, my hands were on every phase of it.”
Shephard Trautmann said the business has been in its current location for 16 years, and they had just recently celebrated their 30th anniversary of being open. Luckily, she said, nobody was hurt in the incident and the building is OK, structurally. She doesn’t have to close the store for any repairs, and insurance paperwork has already been started.
She said she was joined Friday morning by several community members who were looking to support her and help clean up glass and other debris. One person brought snacks for staff members.
Sgt. Knight said police were looking over surveillance footage, but they weren’t able to pull much information. They observed a blue sedan, possibly a Kia or Hyundai, and a silver hatchback, possibly a Mercedes or BMW.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Lacey Police Department at 360-459-4333.
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