Pokémon and sports card collectors outraged as PSA-graded cards stolen in delivery truck heist

Thanks to the popularity of card games like Pokémon, the trading card business has boomed into a multi-billion-dollar industry — and criminals want a piece of the action.

Case in point, collectors who sent their valuable trading cards to PSA, or Professional Sports Authenticator, to get their cards graded were shocked to find an email in their inbox on Monday letting them know that their cards had been stolen while in shipment. Images of the email went viral on social media, and a PSA spokesperson confirmed to Mashable that thieves targeted "a third-party shipping vehicle carrying PSA-graded items."

"After leaving our PSA facility in South California, a FedEx vehicle transporting PSA orders was burglarized, and items were stolen," reads an email from the company posted by victims online. "Unfortunately, this theft affected your order."

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Mashable has reported on the intense Pokémon collectibles market, one of the biggest draws in the trading card games (TGC) community, where resellers already make it difficult for everyday players to get their hands on new releases. Sports cards are also in high demand, and rare individual cards have sold for millions of dollars.

In the collectible world, grading a card means getting it authenticated by a professional who also assesses the condition of the item, which could greatly boost its resale value on the aftermarket. PSA is viewed as the industry leader in sports and hobby card grading.

To give an example of just how much could've been stolen in the alleged FedEx truck heist, one X user claimed they had sent cards worth more than $100,000 to PSA for grading — and they were all stolen.

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According to PSA, the company took action once they were made aware of the incident. The company deactivated certificates of stolen items and notified commerce partners of serialized items so that they could be traced.

PSA stated that they are working closely with FedEx and law enforcement to help the investigation.

In a statement provided to Mashable, PSA said that their "facility was not impacted." 

"A third-party carrier vehicle was burglarized after leaving our facility; PSA did not have the impacted items in its possession at the time," the company said.

As for customers who had their cards stolen, PSA said they will compensate them for the stolen items in the order based on their "fair market value up to the Maximum Insured Value."

A PSA spokesperson provided a statement to Mashable as well:

We are aware of a theft involving a third-party shipping vehicle carrying PSA-graded items. We are working closely with law enforcement and the carrier as the investigation continues. 

We have deactivated the certificates for the stolen items and notified marketplace partners so they can be on the lookout for rare and serialized items. Our customer service team has contacted affected customers directly and is arranging compensation based on fair market value. 

We understand the impact this has on collectors involved, many of whom see these cards as far more than a financial asset. 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.

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