Nearly $1 Million in Rare Trading Cards Stolen in Brazen California Heist
Thousands of graded sports and Pokémon cards are missing after a theft from a FedEx truck outside PSA's Santa Ana facility, prompting an FBI investigation.
A significant collection of approximately 6,451 graded trading cards, valued at nearly $1 million, was stolen from a FedEx truck in Santa Ana, California. The theft occurred on October 13 when the truck, carrying customer orders from Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA), was targeted outside the company's facility. Authorities estimate the value of the stolen haul to be around $963,000, involving nearly 250 packages.
The FedEx truck was reportedly left unattended for between 60 to 90 minutes, during which time its lock was broken and the contents were taken. The stolen items included a wide variety of trading cards, specifically sports cards and Pokémon cards.
PSA is cooperating with the FBI and Santa Ana police in the investigation. In an effort to prevent the resale of the stolen items, the company has published a comprehensive list of the missing collectibles and deactivated their certification numbers. They have also shared this list with marketplaces, auction houses, and digital commerce platforms to aid in recovery.
Many collectors are devastated by the loss, having spent years building their prized collections. One affected collector, known as Sky-B Cards on YouTube, reported that a shipment of 104 cards, insured for up to $156,000, was among the stolen items. He noted that many of the cards were irreplaceable.
PSA has stated that recovering every stolen item and returning it to its owner is their top priority. They have also initiated a process to refund grading fees for the stolen orders and are offering compensation based on the items' fair market value, up to their declared insured value. Customers who receive compensation retain the right to reclaim their cards if they are recovered.
The company acknowledged the incident and assured customers that their security measures are generally robust, having safely processed and returned over 99.9% of items in the past year. No arrests have been announced in connection with the theft.