An estimated $963,000 worth of trading cards, including Pokémon and sports cards, were stolen from a FedEx truck outside the headquarters of grading company PSA in Santa Ana, California. The theft occurred in mid-October, with collectors being notified of the burglary weeks later.
The incident involved two pallets containing approximately 100 packages. According to reports, a FedEx driver left the truck unattended for between 60 and 90 minutes, providing an opportunity for thieves to break the truck's lock and abscond with the cargo.
In response to the theft, FedEx stated that the security of customer shipments is a top priority and that they are cooperating with law enforcement. PSA has also confirmed that affected customers will receive refunds based on the fair market value up to the insured amount. The grading company has deactivated the certificates for all stolen items.
This incident adds to a growing trend of high-value trading card thefts. Recently, two individuals pleaded guilty to stealing over £71,000 worth of Pokémon TCG in a series of burglaries targeting smaller card shops. The increasing value of trading cards has reportedly led to a rise in burglaries targeting the collectible market in recent years.