Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
- Thieves stole over $4,000 in merchandise from Millcreek's Super Anime Store.
- Owners Kevin Roncancio and Maria Navas fear for their business's stability.
- They seek community help to recover stolen Pokémon cards and collectibles.
MILLCREEK — The owners of a small, family-run anime store said a thief stole thousands of dollars in merchandise during an early morning break-in over the weekend, dealing a major blow to their business.
Husband and wife co-owners Kevin Roncancio and Maria Navas said one of their Super Anime Store employees arrived Saturday to find the front door unlocked and Pokémon cards scattered across the entryway.
Surveillance video later revealed a man had picked the lock and entered the shop around 4 a.m. Saturday.
"At 3:56, we see just an individual walking past the store, doesn't really seem too interested," Roncancio said. "And then the next minute, we catch another clip of the same individual walking past the store in the opposite direction, and then he looks in through our glass door to see what was in here."
Roncancio said the video shows the man returning roughly 40 minutes after the initial break‑in wearing a different hoodie and a mask. Clearer images of his face were captured by the store's other cameras earlier in the night.
The couple, who have operated the Millcreek store for three years, said the thief spent about 15 minutes inside before leaving with more than $4,000 in collectibles. Navas said they took Star Wars helmets, lightsabers, Labubus, anime figures and Pokémon cards.
"I would say what hurts the most are the Pokémon cards, because the Pokémon cards are very exclusive, and we literally just got that shipment of Pokémon cards," Navas said. "It kind of makes us scared to advertise that we have these items in our store. We definitely don't want to be a target."
Since the theft, Roncancio and Navas have been searching online marketplaces in hopes of spotting their merchandise.
"We've been tracking Facebook Marketplace and local marketplaces," Roncancio said. "We haven't caught anything yet. He'll most likely wait a little bit before posting anything."
Navas said the loss threatens the stability of their business.
"We don't want to close our doors," she said. "We want to be here for the community, and we don't want to cut our employees' hours for this either. We'll take the loss, but we're just trying to get our stuff back."
Anyone with information about the break‑in is asked to contact Unified Police or reach out to Super Anime Store via direct message or email them at utah@superanimestore.com.
