Sussex Police were called by a Pokemon card valuation business in Heathfield, East Sussex, on October 21 after the prized Charizard card was returned to its owner in Essex – who had not received it.

The trading card was then discovered to be for sale Facebook.

A 23-year-old man from Polegate was arrested on suspicion of theft on October 27 and admitted stealing the card worth between £20,000 and £30,000 in a police interview and was given a caution.

A police spokesman said: “A search warrant was authorized at his property and officers found the rare card inside.

“After a voluntary interview, the suspect admitted to stealing the card and showed remorse for his actions.”

The card was believed to have been stolen between September 2-5 in Heathfield.

PC Alan Russell, who handled the initial investigation, said: “We quickly identified a line of inquiry and were able to act quickly.

“It was a valuable item that meant a lot to the victim from whom it was stolen.

“The victim is happy that her card has been returned and that our teams worked very well together to solve this case.”

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