Pasadena Man Arrested After Hiding Inside Closed Best Buy Ahead of Pokémon Card Drop

Shortly after 1 a.m. on Wednesday, Pasadena police responded to a call from Best Buy employees who saw a man moving inside the closed store on a live-feed monitor. An employee who held a store key opened the doors, allowing officers to enter. Inside they found 45-year-old Patrick Keys, who was taken into custody without incident and booked on suspicion of burglary. Police noted there was no sign of forced entry, indicating the suspect likely remained inside after closing.

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Limited-edition Pokémon card releases often attract collectors who camp outside retailers. Best Buy employees monitored interior cameras during the event. Employees used a live-feed monitor to watch the interior of the store. At the time of the incident, a group of fans gathered outside the Pasadena store, reflecting the high demand for the new card set.

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• Patrick Keys, 45, the suspect arrested for burglary.

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• Pasadena Police Department, the agency that responded and made the arrest.

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• Best Buy employees, staff who observed the suspect on security cameras and provided a key for entry.

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• Pokémon fans, collectors who assembled outside the store for the card release.

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• Before 1 a.m. – Best Buy closed for the night; security cameras continued to record the interior while fans camped outside.

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• Shortly after 1 a.m. – Employees reviewing the live-feed saw a lone individual moving through the aisles and called police.

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• Minutes later – Pasadena officers arrived, entered using a store key, and arrested 45-year-old Patrick Keys without incident.

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• Suspect age: 45.

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• Date and time: Wednesday, shortly after 1 a.m.

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• Store status: Closed for the night; no forced entry observed.

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• Reported loss: No merchandise reported missing.

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• Crowd size: Exact number of fans outside not disclosed.

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The Pasadena Police Department confirmed that Patrick Keys was arrested on suspicion of burglary and emphasized that the lack of forced entry suggests he remained inside after the store closed. Officers entered using a key supplied by a Best Buy employee. The department also reported that no merchandise was missing and has not released further details.

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> “I was just here for some Pokémon drop, but I went to the restroom. Not even 15 minutes and there was cops everywhere,” — Unnamed woman, Pokémon fan

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Sources do not clarify whether Patrick Keys intended to steal merchandise or simply sought shelter inside the store. No information has been released about the exact number of fans present or any video footage from the store.

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Pasadena police indicated that the investigation remains ongoing to determine Keys’s motives and assess whether additional charges are warranted. No further updates have been announced at this time.

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