At least $963K in trading cards were stolen from a FedEx truck in California

SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — Police in California are investigating the theft of trading cards worth at least $963,000 that were taken from a FedEx truck parked outside of a company that verifies memorabilia.

The truck was broken into on Oct. 13 near Professional Sports Authenticator, also known as PSA, which authenticates trading cards, autographs, comic books, and other memorabilia and grades their condition, Santa Ana Police Department spokesperson Natalie Garcia said in a news release. Pokémon and sports cards were among the items that were stolen, the release said.

The driver had left the truck unattended, Garcia said in a follow-up email Tuesday. How long the driver was gone is part of the investigation, she said.

The truck’s lock was gone and two pallets were taken, she said. A third pallet was disturbed.

“The estimated value of the stolen cards at the time of the incident was $963,000. However, the exact value of the stolen items has not yet been determined,” Garcia said in the news release.

Nick Andrews, a card collector near Boston, told The Associated Press the value of what was taken could be much higher.

PSA’s parent company, Collectors, said it has “deactivated the certificates for the stolen cards and notified marketplace partners so they can be on the lookout for rare and serialized items.”

The company also said it contacted affected customers directly and arranged for compensation based on fair market value.

Both FedEx and Collectors said they are working with law enforcement.

“The security of our customers’ shipments is a top priority,” FedEx spokesperson David Westrick said in a statement.

FedEx referred additional questions to police.

Some people who identified themselves as customers posted online that they got an email from PSA explaining what happened to their cards. They were worried they would never see them again or receive proper compensation.

Andrews, who collects vintage sports and Pokémon cards, told the AP in a phone interview that he was not affected by the theft but has heard from at least two dozen people who were.

“Thousands of cards, most likely, and millions of dollars, most likely,” he said of the losses collectors suffered.

He said one person who submitted cards for grading on behalf of several people told him that they lost half a million dollars in declared value.

PSA’s parent company did not get into specifics on losses in its statement.

“We understand the impact this has on collectors involved, many of whom see these cards as far more than a financial asset,” the statement from Collectors said. “Our team is focused on supporting them. We take this incident seriously, and we will continue working with law enforcement to hold those responsible accountable.”