Updated

Updated · WKRC TV Cincinnati · Aug 24

Burglars Steal Roger Holler’s 860-Game NES Collection, Leaving It 3 Titles Short of Complete

Updated

Updated · WKRC TV Cincinnati · Aug 24

Burglars Steal Roger Holler’s 860-Game NES Collection, Leaving It 3 Titles Short of Complete

Q: How did burglars know exactly where to find a Pierce County family's $50,000 secret Nintendo collection?

There is no confirmed answer yet, but the family believes the burglars likely had prior knowledge of the home and the hidden game collection. Roger Holler said the thieves appeared to move through the house with purpose. They not only took more than 850 Nintendo games valued at over $50,000, but also went into the master bathroom and stole his wife’s tennis bracelet. That, he said, suggests they knew the home’s layout and where valuable items were kept rather than stumbling onto them randomly. The reporting does not show evidence that investigators have identified a suspect or determined exactly how the burglars learned about the collection. But the facts point to a targeted theft: the front door was forced open, shelves holding the rare games were emptied, and the collection itself had been built over nearly 40 years and was valuable enough that some individual titles were worth significant sums. Because of those details, the strongest answer based on the available information is that the burglars may have been familiar with the house, the family, or the existence of the collection beforehand. That remains a suspicion from the victims, not a proven law-enforcement finding. The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office is investigating, and the family has asked anyone with information about the break-in or the stolen Nintendo games to contact authorities.

Q: Will a grandfather's stolen 40-year gaming legacy ever be recovered to fund his grandchildren's college tuition?

It is too early to say, and there is no confirmed recovery yet. What is clear is that Roger Holler’s family lost a collection they say was worth more than $50,000 and included more than 850 rare Nintendo games built over nearly 40 years. Holler said the collection was intended as a legacy for his grandchildren and could have helped pay for college, but for now that plan has been derailed. Whether the collection is recovered will likely depend on how quickly investigators and the public can identify the games as they move through resale channels. Rare video games are harder to hide than ordinary household goods because valuable titles can be distinctive, traceable through photos, labels, condition, and collector networks. At the same time, collectibles are often broken up and sold piece by piece online, at pawn shops, or through local game stores, which can make full recovery difficult. The family’s comments that the burglars seemed to know the home’s layout may also be significant if detectives pursue the case as a targeted theft rather than a random burglary. That can sometimes narrow a suspect pool, but no arrests or leads have been publicly announced. For now, the only verified path toward recovery is the active sheriff’s investigation and public tips. If the stolen games surface in collector circles or resale markets, that could improve the family’s chances. But until law enforcement identifies suspects or recovers items, the future of that college fund remains uncertain.

3 articles · Updated · WKRC TV Cincinnati · Aug 24

Puyallup homeowner Roger Holler returned Sunday to find a shelf emptied after burglars stole his entire Nintendo Entertainment System collection while his family was out of town last week.
More than 860 games were taken, wiping out a collection Holler spent nearly 40 years building and leaving him just three titles short of a complete NES library.
The loss hit beyond money: Holler said his mother gave him his first NES at age 11, and his son Chris Sterling said he grew up traveling with him across Washington and to gaming conventions to hunt games.
Earlier reports put the collection’s value at $50,000 to $100,000; the family is now seeking the thief and says the burglary has left Holler ready to call the hobby "game over."