Collectors waiting for their newly graded Pokémon and sports cards are out of luck after thieves stole more than 200 packages from a FedEx truck in Santa Ana, California.
The Athletic reported on Tuesday, October 20, that thieves stole the packages on Tuesday, October 13, outside Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) headquarters, a company that grades and authenticates trading cards.
Police say the haul from a parked FedEx truck was worth nearly $1 million, and the final tally could climb.
The cards had just been graded and were being shipped back to their owners.
How Did Thieves Steal Nearly $1 Million in Trading Cards From a FedEx Truck?
Officers responded to the 1600 block of East St. Andrew Place after a theft report.
Santa Ana police say the driver left the truck near PSA’s shipping and receiving entrance for 60 to 90 minutes, and thieves broke in while it sat unattended.
A police spokesperson told The Athletic that thieves removed a lock from the back of the truck.
Thieves emptied two full pallets, each holding about 100 packages. Thieves also pulled around 50 packages from a third pallet. PSA told police the two pallets alone were worth about $963,000, according to Athletic.
That number is likely to grow. Police say they can’t determine the exact value of the stolen goods until they scan the remaining boxes.
The packages held Pokémon and sports cards. Customers have also reported missing “Magic: The Gathering” and “Yu-Gi-Oh!” cards.
What Did PSA and Police Say About the Stolen Trading Cards?
PSA’s parent company, Collectors, said it is working with law enforcement and FedEx as the investigation continues.
A PSA spokesperson said the company has already moved to make the cards harder to sell.
“We have deactivated the certificates for the stolen items and notified marketplace partners so they can be on the lookout for rare and serialized items,” the spokesperson said in an official statement.
PSA says its customer service team has contacted affected customers and is arranging payouts tied to each card’s market value. What a collector receives may depend on the shipment’s insured value.
PSA also told customers it will review its processes with shipping partners to help prevent a repeat.
How Much Did SKY-B Cards Lose in the Pokémon Card Theft?
Among the affected customers is a YouTuber known as SKY-B Cards, who says the shipment included 104 cards from his personal collection.
He estimates his losses at more than $100,000. The Athletic reported that he had insured the submission for $156,000.
In a YouTube video posted Monday, October 19, he said the financial hit was only part of the heartbreak.
“These were 104 cards that I’ve accumulated over 2 years. There are many irreplaceable cards in here that I will never see again,” he said.
Is There Any Sign of Who Took the Trading Cards?
Police shared the update on Monday, October 19. Santa Ana police spokesperson Natalie Garcia told NBC News the case is still open.
“It remains an open case,” she said, “and we have not made any arrests or recovered any stolen goods.”
Police have not said whether the thieves knew what the shipment held or whether anyone on the inside helped.
The investigation remains open as detectives work to identify those responsible. Anyone with information is asked to call the Santa Ana Police Department at 714-245-8665.
Thieves Steal Nearly $1 Million in Pokémon and Sports Cards From FedEx Truck in California