Red Castle Games again burglarized

INCLUDES SHOCKING SURVEILLANCE VIDEO | See how this outer East Portland business owner is turning this upsetting incident into an opportunity for the community to help needy kids …

-1 After again being burglarized, Red Castle Games has reopened for business.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton

After past burglaries of the Red Castle Games store in the Mt. Scott-Arleta neighborhood – on June 7 and August 6 (twice in one night!), of 2023 – owner Matthew Mičetić and his staff increased security measures at the shop, and hoped that the overnight thefts would stop.

>> To read about those burglaries, CLICK HERE

But, on December 7, 2024, at about 2:35 a.m. a man in dark clothing, a hoodie pulled up over his baseball cap and with a full face mask, smashed his way into the store.

-2 Red Castle Games owner Matthew Mičetić looks at the damage done to the display case, torn open by a burglar with a crowbar.

“He came in through the front doo, this time, which triggered the alarm system,” Mičetić told East Portland News.

Watch the surveillance video of this crime as it took place. Note the burglar’s unique choice in underwear near the end of the video:

“Clearly, he’d been in our store before; he made a beeline for the collectible cards display case, in the back,” Mičetić observed. “He used the crowbar to pop open the display case, which damaged it – and proceed to clear all the Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh! Japanese manga series cards as the alarm sounded.”

The burglar enters the store …

… and strides briskly to the “collectable cards” display case.

“The [alarm] siren made him stop – he grabbed a couple of other deck boxes, and then ran for the door, as quickly as he could, likely knowing there would eventually be a police response,” commented Mičetić.

A Portland Police Bureau East Precinct officer was dispatched to what was posted as a “Cold Burglary” incident at 3:23 a.m. that Saturday morning.

As it has over the past decade, Red Castle Games continues to be a Mecca for those who love table games.

“We suffered about $1,200 in product losses,” Mičetić declared, adding, “But repairing the front door, and replacing the glass case will run into a couple thousand dollars.” Due to the dramatic increase for retail business insurance, Mičetić said he was considering absorbing the financial loss, instead of filing another insurance claim.

Help this small business by coming by and purchasing a toy, game, or puzzle and donate it to the Toy & Joy Makers toy drive, Matthew Mičetić suggests.

Asks for charity donations
“The community is been very nice in response to the incident; we’ve had shoppers coming in to buy Christmas gifts for themselves and others, which is really nice,” Mičetić said. “Many people have wanted to make a donation to help make up our losses.

“But instead, we are asking people to buy a game or a puzzle, and then donate it to the Portland Fire & Rescue’s Toy & Joy Makers toy drive – we have a collection barrel for that right here,” he requested.

If you have information that can help bring this criminal to justice, email it to crimetips@police.portlandoregon.gov, and write that your information is about Case No. 24-312423.

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