A dazzling cache of vintage baseball cards valued at over $2.1 million has been skillfully recovered after being stolen from a hotel in Ohio. The gripping tale unfolded at the Best Western Plus hotel in Strongsville, Ohio, where the cards, eagerly anticipated for the Strongsville Sports Collectors Convention, were reported missing by California-based collectibles firm, Memory Lane.
The alleged perpetrator of this audacious heist is a 27-year-old individual named Jacob Paxton from Brunswick, Ohio. Paxton was apprehended and now faces charges of first-degree felony theft. The event commenced when the cards, shipped via FedEx, didn’t reach the Memory Lane employee who had traveled from the East Coast to exhibit them at the convention. Initially, hotel personnel claimed ignorance to the package’s whereabouts, but footage later confirmed the delivery.
The stolen treasure trove, snugly nestled within a sturdy cardboard box, encompassed an exquisite collection of baseball memorabilia. Included were 14 rare and coveted Cracker Jack cards from 1914, an array of esteemed T206 tobacco cards, several Brunner’s Bread cards from the 1911-14 era, and premium cards featuring baseball legends such as Mickey Mantle and Roberto Clemente, securely protected within standard grading holders.
The commendable efforts to recover the stolen goods were skillfully led by the Strongsville Police department, who commenced their investigation promptly on April 18. New leads pointing to Paxton’s attempt to sell some of the stolen cards at a nearby card store shortly after the misdeed were pivotal. Acting on critical information, police executed a search warrant at a Cleveland location associated with one of Paxton’s associates. There, they successfully reclaimed 52 out of the 54 stolen cards. The search for the remaining two cards, with a combined value of approximately $90,000, including prized items like a PSA 8 graded 1941 Play Ball Ted Williams card and a PSA 5 graded 1909 T204 Ramly Walter Johnson card, remains ongoing.
Notwithstanding the setback, Memory Lane proceeded with their planned auction, optimistic for the return of all cards before its conclusion on May 4. In a bid to safeguard the investigation, the company refrained from divulging details of the theft until receiving the green light from law enforcement. This cautious approach proved pivotal in the swift and effective recovery of the pilfered merchandise.
Memory Lane has confirmed that the recovered cards will be promptly returned, enabling winning bidders in the auction to finalize their purchases. This incident not only highlights the high stakes inherent in the vintage collectibles market but also showcases the efficacy of timely and well-coordinated law enforcement responses to such criminal acts.