Man arrested hiding inside Best Buy

A Pokémon card release turned into a burglary arrest in Pasadena. That sounds ridiculous at first, but the stakes were real for the store — employees saw a man moving around inside a closed Best Buy after midnight, called police, and officers went in with a store key. Inside, they found 45-year-old Patrick Keys and arrested him on suspicion of burglary. The weird part is that police don’t think he smashed his way in. They think he may have simply stayed inside after closing. (nbclosangeles.com) ### What actually happened? The call came in a little after 1 a.m. on Wednesday, April 29. Best Buy employees were watching a live surveillance feed from the Pasadena store when they noticed someone walking inside. Officers arrived, got help from an employee who had a key, entered the store, and took Keys into custody without incident. (nbclosangeles.com) ### Who was arrested? Pasadena police identified the suspect as Patrick Keys, 45. Pasadena Now said police described him as transient. NBC Los Angeles said he was arrested on suspicion of burglary, which fits the basic theory here — being inside a closed business without permission, even without a broken window, can still become a burglary case. (nbclosangeles.com) ### Why do police think he hid inside? Because there were no signs of forced entry. That matters more than it sounds. If nothing was pried open and no door was busted, the simplest explanation is that he entered while the store was still open and stayed put after everyone left. Basically, he may have tried to beat the line by never leaving the building. (nbclosangeles.com) ### Why Pokémon cards? A group of fans had already camped outside the store for a new Pokémon card drop. One woman outside told NBC Los Angeles she had stepped away for the restroom and came back to see police everywhere. So this was not some random overnight trespassing story. It happened in the middle of a high-demand release, with customers already lining up before dawn. (nbclosangeles.com) ### Why does that matter for retailers? Because trading cards now behave like limited sneakers or concert merch. The product is small, easy to resell, and tied to hype cycles that spike on release day. That creates a messy mix of collectors, flippers, overnight lines, and stressed store staff. Most launches are just ch(nbclosangeles.com)at last point is an inference from the release-day setup and the overnight arrest. (nbclosangeles.com) ### Was anyone hurt? No reports so far say anyone was injured, and police took Keys into custody without incident. That’s the best-case version of a bad retail situation. If employees had confronted him directly, or if the crowd outside had surged once police arrived, this could have gone sideways fast. (nbclosangeles([nbclosangeles.com)igger than one odd arrest? Yes — not because this exact stunt will become normal, but because it captures a broader problem. Scarce, high-demand collectibles now create real operational pressure for big-box stores. Stores need cameras watched in real time, controlled entry, clear purchase limits, and someone clearly in charge when a launch draws a crowd. Otherwise staff end up improvising. (nbclosangeles.com) ### Bottom line This was a small burglary case wrapped inside a very 2026 retail story. A man allegedly tried to get an unbeatable spot for Pokémon cards by hiding in a Best Buy overnight. Police found him before the doors reopened. The bigger lesson is simple — when a product drop gets hot enough, even an electronics store has to think like event security. (nbclosangeles.com)