A 72-year-old man in Ohio has been charged with a first-degree misdemeanor for allegedly placing a tracking device on a delivery driver's car. The Wayne County Municipal Court documents indicate that the man, Kent Kubasta, admitted to placing a SpyTech GPS device on the vehicle while it was parked outside the Operation Fandom store in Wooster. Kubasta stated his motive was "to track her location/delivery of Pokémon cards."
According to the report, Kubasta was likely attempting to track down deliveries of the highly sought-after Pokémon 30th Celebration set, which is currently sold out at retail. The charge carries a potential penalty of up to 180 days in jail and a $1,000 fine. The owner of Operation Fandom noted that information regarding product drops is often available through social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and other online channels, suggesting the tracking device was an unnecessary and illegal measure.
This incident is not the first time collectors have engaged in extreme behavior to obtain Pokémon cards. Recent reports indicate that the demand for the 30th Celebration set has led to other illegal activities, including confrontations where individuals have reportedly brandished knives over the trading cards. The scarcity of the popular TCG sets has fueled intense competition and desperation among some collectors and scalpers.