Woman pleads not guilty in alleged $1,300+ football, Pokémon card theft in Manitowoc

L-R, Nicholas Arizola, Amber Lutzke. (Manitowoc Co. Jail/Zoom)

MANITOWOC, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – A woman who allegedly helped steal more than $1,300 worth of football and Pokémon cards from a Manitowoc department store pleaded not guilty Thursday.

Amber Lutzke, 21, also waived a preliminary hearing on the felony retail theft charge. No trial date was set. She returns to court June 30 for a scheduling conference, court records show.

Also charged in the case is Nicholas Arizola, who has also pleaded not guilty. He has a scheduling conference on May 28.

According to a probable cause statement, police reviewed security footage from the Meijer store and determined the two took seven boxes of football cards, 15 boxes of Pokemon cards and other items. All told, their value was $1,376.23.

Lutzke told police perhaps she stole two boxes, not more. The thefts are “something we do together,” she told police.

When searching a residence in connection with the investigation, police found a variety of trading cards, as well as drug paraphernalia and counterfeit money, according to the probable cause statement.