Significant Recovery and Arrest Made in Theft of $2 Million Vintage Baseball Cards
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A substantial cache of vintage baseball cards valued at over $2.1 million has been successfully recovered following their theft from an Ohio hotel, leading to the arrest of a former employee implicated in the heist. The incident unfolded at the Best Western Plus hotel in Strongsville, Ohio, where the cards, delivered in anticipation of the annual Strongsville Sports Collectors Convention, were reported missing by Memory Lane, a collectibles firm based in Tustin, California.
The suspect, identified as 27-year-old Jacob Paxton from Brunswick, Ohio, was apprehended on Wednesday, facing charges of first-degree felony theft. The sequence of events began when the cards, shipped via FedEx, failed to reach the Memory Lane employee who had journeyed from the East Coast to showcase them at the convention. Although hotel staff initially claimed the package was missing, security footage later confirmed its delivery.
The stolen items, housed in a robust cardboard box, comprised a valuable assortment of baseball memorabilia, including 14 rare Cracker Jack cards from 1914, a variety of T206 tobacco cards, several Brunner’s Bread cards from the 1911-14 period, and premium cards featuring baseball icons Mickey Mantle and Roberto Clemente, all securely encased in standard grading holders.
The recovery operation was spearheaded by the Strongsville Police, who initiated their investigation late in the afternoon of April 18. New leads surfaced showing that Paxton had attempted to offload some of the stolen cards at a local card shop shortly after the theft. Acting on a crucial tip, police executed a search warrant at a Cleveland property associated with one of Paxton's acquaintances. There, they successfully reclaimed 52 of the 54 stolen cards. Efforts continue to locate the remaining two cards, collectively valued at around $90,000, including highly prized items such as a PSA 8 graded 1941 Play Ball Ted Williams card and a PSA 5 graded 1909 T204 Ramly Walter Johnson card.
Despite the setback, Memory Lane proceeded with their scheduled auction, hopeful for the return of all cards before its conclusion on May 4. In an effort to not compromise the investigation, the company maintained silence on the details of the theft until receiving clearance from law enforcement. This discretion proved essential in the prompt and efficient recovery of the stolen property.
Memory Lane has announced that the retrieved cards will soon be returned, allowing the auction's winning bidders to finalize their purchases. This incident not only underscores the high stakes involved in the vintage collectibles market but also demonstrates the effectiveness of prompt and coordinated law enforcement responses to such thefts.
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