Police Reveal New Details on PSA & FedEx Card Theft
A major theft of trading cards valued at nearly $1 million was stolen from a FedEx truck parked near PSA headquarters in Santa Ana, California on October 13th. Over 200 packages containing graded sports cards and Pokémon cards were taken across three pallets while the FedEx driver was away from the vehicle for 60-90 minutes. PSA is working with law enforcement and has begun compensating affected customers based on fair market value.
Summary
According to reporting by The Athletic and The New York Times, a FedEx truck parked outside PSA's (Professional Sports Authenticator) grading headquarters in Santa Ana, California was robbed on October 13th. Two pallets containing approximately 100 packages each were stolen, along with a third pallet containing an estimated 50 packages, for a total known value of $963,000—though the value of the third pallet's contents remains undetermined, potentially bringing the total into seven figures. The exact number of trading cards stolen is unclear, but the speaker indicates it's over 1,000 cards based on customer outreach. The stolen items include various trading cards, particularly sports cards and Pokémon cards that had been graded by PSA and were being shipped back to their owners.
The theft occurred when the FedEx driver left the vehicle unattended for between 60-90 minutes near PSA's shipping and receiving address. Upon his return, the truck's lock had been broken and the packages were gone. The speaker criticizes FedEx for this security lapse and suggests PSA should pressure FedEx and potentially threaten to end their business relationship unless FedEx helps compensate customers beyond standard insurance claims.
PSA has responded by deactivating certification numbers for all stolen items and notifying marketplace partners to watch for the items if they appear for sale. The company is contacting affected customers and arranging compensation based on fair market value up to insured amounts. The speaker notes some confusion around customer service communications where incorrect spreadsheets were initially sent. PSA has indicated it will evaluate its processes with shipping partners to prevent future incidents. The speaker plans to file a public records request with the Santa Ana Police Department to obtain the full police report for further details.
Key Insights
- The speaker identifies this $963,000+ theft as the worst heist in sports card history, potentially reaching seven figures when including the undetermined value of the third pallet
- The FedEx driver abandoned the truck for 60-90 minutes near (not at) PSA's warehouse, during which time thieves broke the lock and stole the packages
- PSA has deactivated certification numbers for stolen items and notified marketplace partners to intercept attempted sales, a response the speaker learned about from a customer list posted by SkyB cards
- The speaker reports receiving examples where PSA customer service sent incorrect compensation offers via wrong spreadsheets that were later corrected, suggesting internal confusion during crisis management
- The speaker plans to file a public records request with Santa Ana Police Department using the confirmed date (October 13th) and location to obtain the full police report within 10 days
Topics
Transcript
[0:00] All right, the Athletic, the New York Times has picked up this article. There's a lot of new information. Looks like my estimates have been pretty damn good from my sources. The headline is the FedEx truck robbed of trading cards worth over $963,000 outside PSA headquarters. You're going to find out in a minute that 963 doesn't include one pallet. There were three pallets taken from this thing. There's a lot more details because it's very clear that whoever wrote this contacted the PD and got a lot of information. I've seen no police reports yet, so this is the [0:31] best information we've got from Ben Burroughs. More than 200 packages containing training cards valued at nearly…
Full transcript available for MurmurCast members
Sign Up to AccessMore from Boston Card Hunter
Where Are The Opportunities In Baseball Cards?
Marshall shares investment opportunities in baseball cards, highlighting affordable leader cards from classic sets like 1962-1963 as undervalued alternatives to expensive cards. He advises collectors to focus on star players in mainstream sets rather than niche oddball collections to preserve value.
A Whale Shares His Prediction For Baseball Cards & Vintage
Marshall predicts that the vintage baseball card and memorabilia market will continue to thrive due to nostalgia and emotional connections to legendary players from baseball's history. He argues that vintage cards represent a legitimate wealth management asset comparable to stock investments, and that modern players like Mike Trout lack the cultural resonance and nicknames that define classic baseball legends.
How Cards Helped Me Find My Way Back
The speaker recounts his journey from childhood card collecting through a major health crisis to becoming a prominent figure in the card collecting community on social media. He discusses how a counterfeit card trade led him to complete a 1986 Fleer autographed set, which served as a therapeutic outlet during his battle with an autoimmune disease, ultimately launching his YouTube and Instagram presence.
Buying Cards From Kids? You Should Know This
The video explains the legal risks of buying sports cards from minors, specifically the 'infancy doctrine' which allows anyone under 18 to void contracts without parental consent. Dealers can face significant financial losses if minors rescind deals, and parental signatures are necessary to protect high-value transactions in the hobby.
A Whale Sounds Off On The Sports Card Industry
Marshall Fogle, a prominent sports card collector who owns one of the world's most valuable Mickey Mantle cards, discusses how increased card production and industry expansion is democratizing the hobby by making cards more affordable and attracting younger collectors who will become high-value buyers as adults.