Operation Mario Kart: Police recover $142,000 in cash, stolen gaming accessories in North Texas bust

North Texas police recovered $142,000 in stolen cash and gaming accessories in a multi-agency operation dubbed Operation Mario Kart.

PLANO, Texas — North Texas police recovered $42,000 in cash and more than $100,000 in stolen property in what law enforcement dubbed Operation Mario Kart.

The Plano Police Department shared details about the bust in a March 20 social media post.

The operation was a collaboration between the Plano Police General Crimes and the Special Investigative Services Units, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Allen Police Department, Nintendo of America, and retail loss-prevention teams from Walmart, Target, and Kroger.

The operation began in 2025, when a Plano Police detective began investigating what initially appeared to be a routine theft involving gaming electronics and accessories valued at around $2,500, officials said.

Cole later learned the items were being stolen by an individual who buys stolen property and resells it for a profit.

What initially appeared to be isolated incidents of theft quickly expanded into a “major multi-agency investigation,” police said.

This investigation led law enforcement to a residence in Irving where the suspect was believed to be storing stolen goods. Police executed a search warrant at the property, recovering the cash and stolen property, police said. 

The suspect, who has not been identified, was taken into custody for organized retail theft.