Nearly $1 million in Pokémon, sports and other trading cards vanished from a FedEx truck parked outside a Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) facility in Santa Ana, California, after the driver found the rear cargo door lock missing on October 13. Two pallets holding roughly 100 packages each were gone, and parcels had been pulled from a third. Police initially valued the loss at about $963,000, a figure that could rise once a final inventory is completed. Investigators have not established when or where the theft occurred, identified suspects, or recovered any merchandise. FedEx says it is cooperating with local law enforcement.
According to FreightWaves, nearly $1 million in Pokémon, sports and other trading cards disappeared from a FedEx truck parked outside a Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) facility in Santa Ana, California, after the driver discovered the rear cargo door lock was missing.
Theft discovered outside PSA facility
The driver found the cargo disturbed on October 13 while the vehicle was parked in a lot owned by PSA, a company that authenticates and professionally grades trading cards. Although PSA owns the property, members of the public can access the parking area, according to the report.
Officers documented two missing pallets, each holding approximately 100 packages of collectible cards. An undetermined number of parcels had also been pulled from a third pallet, and investigators do not yet know how many individual cards vanished.
Police initially valued the missing merchandise at approximately $963,000, though the final loss could exceed that figure. Authorities have not completed a final inventory, a process that could shift the estimated value once investigators establish exactly what disappeared.
Timeline of driver’s absence unconfirmed
The driver had left the vehicle before noticing the missing lock, according to Santa Ana police. Other news outlets reported he was gone for 60 to 90 minutes, but a department spokesperson told FreightWaves on Tuesday that investigators could not confirm that timeline.
Detectives are reviewing the driver’s account to better understand the circumstances surrounding the discovery. The driver contacted Santa Ana police, who responded to investigate the reported theft.
Police have not established whether thieves accessed the vehicle in the PSA parking lot or somewhere along its route. Finding the missing cargo at the facility does not necessarily mean it was stolen there, the report noted.
Investigation continues, no arrests announced
On Tuesday, October 20, detectives returned to the PSA facility to examine potential surveillance footage and gather additional evidence. Investigators are working to corroborate the driver’s account and reconstruct the vehicle’s movements.
Several questions remain unanswered: authorities have not identified suspects, determined whether thieves specifically targeted the collectible cards, or confirmed whether the FedEx vehicle was a tractor-trailer, box truck or smaller delivery vehicle. No arrests have been announced and none of the missing merchandise has been recovered.
FedEx said in a statement to FreightWaves that the security of customer shipments is a top priority and that it is working with local law enforcement. The company did not clarify whether it was delivering cards for grading or collecting completed orders for return shipment. PSA did not respond before publication.
“The security of our customers’ shipments is a top priority, and we are working with local law enforcement in their investigation.” — FedEx
Cargo theft losses mount in Southern California
Southern California remained a major cargo theft hot spot during the second quarter of 2026. CargoNet reported $304.6 million in cargo theft losses during that same period, according to the report.
The case highlights the importance of securing unattended vehicles and maintaining a clear record of cargo movements. Customers concerned about missing cards should contact PSA directly, Santa Ana police said, adding that authorities have not released a complete inventory identifying affected shipments and the number of impacted customers remains unknown.
Source: FreightWaves
Compiled from international media by the SCI.AI editorial team.
