Postal Worker Steals 40K In Sports Cards
 

[url]https://nypost.com/2022/03/04/postal-worker-paul-robinson-admits-to-lifting-40k-worth-of-sports-cards-from-mail/[/url]

[url]https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdmo/pr/former-mail-carrier-pleads-guilty-stealing-sports-trading-cards[/url]

All of our fears have been realized!

Good thing he was caught. Hopefully this article reaches every postal worker in America.

That's insane that he shows up at a card shop in his postal worker uniform to pawn off cards for cash. Just glad he got caught, and wish the true owners of these cards he still had possession of can be found.

Problem is, he was being really dumb after stealing the cards. Imagine if there's a postal worker that knows how the hobby works. Can easily steal cards and sell em without ever being caught.

These opportunities are made easier when the person you’re selling a card to has some sort of sports card name in their address, such as the name of a card shop, instead of just their name. For this reason alone, I will always ask for the person’s actual name before sending out the card(s). I feel it protects us both.

I don't know about easily seeing how the PO knows which route the driver has and $10's of thousands in sports card keep getting "lost" on his/her route. They'd put 2+2 together eventually.

I wonder if he would get the packages home and be upset if he didn't hit anything big. "man, busted 20 bubble mailers today and got all base cards...no autos no parallels"

Five years in prison for 40k - I’m sure he did the math on that one - 5/40 = oh #@#@#@#@ this card looks cool.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Robinson was caught on camera selling the cards [B]in his postal uniform[/B] last year.

:doh::doh::doh:

The post office stole several autographs I sent in to have authenticated early last year. I dropped them in the blue box outside in a small flat rate box with postage paid Never scanned or seen them after.
Rough part was I had sent them ttm to be signed and personalized to my son back when he was born in 2012. Had quite s bit of sentimental value to them.
Live and learn I guess.
I asked about it several times and all I ever got was if you want it scanned you need to bring it inside. No additional help.
Filed a police report and several stolen mail reports.
Nothing

No one anywhere in that chain of command cares
Unless you are on film in your postal uniform with stolen goods, they have pretty well the freedom to steal what they want within the limits of what their morals dictate.

I'm suspecting my carrier is doing the same thing except he is stealing eBay envelope cards less than $20, but potential to be big cards (serial-numbered RCs). I've lost 2 already in 2 months and 1 was re-delivered after I inquired at the post office. After my visit to the post office, the carrier started to put packages at the front door.

[QUOTE=pcptrade;18040657]Robinson was caught on camera selling the cards [B]in his postal uniform[/B] last year.

:doh::doh::doh:[/QUOTE]

This is the best part of the story. I mean, you can’t make this stuff up. How dumb can you be?

[QUOTE=RogerGodahell;18040450]I don't know about easily seeing how the PO knows which route the driver has and $10's of thousands in sports card keep getting "lost" on his/her route. They'd put 2+2 together eventually.[/QUOTE]

I'd venture to guess that less than 10% of postal workers care enough to try to put the pieces together at all. You can't speak to anyone at the one where my stuff got stolen that is not 100% apathetic about it. It's just one big racket where they all cover for one another. You may as well try to infiltrate a mob family and get some cooperation.

I was dropping some cards off this morning at the post office for a PSA submission and the guy checking in my stuff started talking to me about cards.

I didn't say anything to him, he just read the label/address and started talking about collecting and cards.

While I don't mind chatting about cards, it kind of left me with an uneasy feeling that the guy knew where my stuff was going and that there were cards in the box.

If they disappear, at least I'll know why...

[QUOTE=jmarascojr;18040739]I was dropping some cards off this morning at the post office for a PSA submission and the guy checking in my stuff started talking to me about cards.

I didn't say anything to him, he just read the label/address and started talking about collecting and cards.

While I don't mind chatting about cards, it kind of left me with an uneasy feeling that the guy knew where my stuff was going and that there were cards in the box.

If they disappear, at least I'll know why...[/QUOTE]

That happened at our PO? Which guy was it. I see them all the time. UGH... Might have to change to Victor.

[QUOTE=jmarascojr;18040739]I was dropping some cards off this morning at the post office for a PSA submission and the guy checking in my stuff started talking to me about cards.

I didn't say anything to him, he just read the label/address and started talking about collecting and cards.

While I don't mind chatting about cards, it kind of left me with an uneasy feeling that the guy knew where my stuff was going and that there were cards in the box.

If they disappear, at least I'll know why...[/QUOTE]

It's funny, I've become friends with an older retiree who has some really high quality vintage stuff (we're talking MJ rookies, Gretzky's, he bought every set from about '70-'90 across 4 sports)

He's completely terrified of mailing stuff for grading for this reason, and I don't blame him. He even called PSA to see if there was some way to come in person with his cards (as we all know, there is not)

[QUOTE=jmarascojr;18040739]I was dropping some cards off this morning at the post office for a PSA submission and the guy checking in my stuff started talking to me about cards.

I didn't say anything to him, he just read the label/address and started talking about collecting and cards.

While I don't mind chatting about cards, it kind of left me with an uneasy feeling that the guy knew where my stuff was going and that there were cards in the box.

If they disappear, at least I'll know why...[/QUOTE]

I would have just told him I have a bunch a Bol Bol base NBA Hoops cards that I am grading in the boxes. That guy is going to be a star! :)!

The postal investigators don't mess around, he'll be prosecuted to the fullest extent.

Just yesterday I watched my Amazon delivery Driver ( not card related) scan and picture a package then proceed to take it back to her truck, I walked out and asked her what it was and she said it was a wrong address then looked at it and said OH MY BAD it is the right address......Maybe she was just having an off day or something, but I am willing to bet that that package would have never been seen again. They were just Fishing Lures, but still....I bet this happens with the mail a lot especially in the large sorting centers. we are living in a world today where you really cant trust anybody and people are more and more dishonest by the day, now I sound like my Dad

[QUOTE=jmarascojr;18040739]I was dropping some cards off this morning at the post office for a PSA submission and the guy checking in my stuff started talking to me about cards.

I didn't say anything to him, he just read the label/address and started talking about collecting and cards.

While I don't mind chatting about cards, it kind of left me with an uneasy feeling that the guy knew where my stuff was going and that there were cards in the box.

If they disappear, at least I'll know why...[/QUOTE]

Me too, last PSA sub I sent via USPS, the worker looked at my package and then asked me, “sending anything good?”.. I didn’t know what to say..”nothing but trash. Sports.” That got him to comment that he collects Pokémon and subs to PSA often with $40k worth sitting at PSA currently.

Maybe I can still hold out hope that the 10K (value at time) stolen from me right before it hit the grading location can be found.(Tracking literally stops a few miles from SGC) Alas, none were numbered and I'm sure they're long gone.

i just had a canadian post mailed mark delivered last week per tracking but never showed up..

Unfortunate to hear about theft, so these stories are usually bittersweet. Happy to see the theif was caught.

Reading the note about getting busted on camera, selling the stolen card(s) in uniform reminds me of another theft thread.

Alleged UPS employee, went on the PSA forums to try and move a stolen and rare PSA 10 Jordan.
[url]https://www.blowoutforums.com/showthread.php?t=1385762[/url]

[QUOTE=PSA2Pac;18040904]Me too, last PSA sub I sent via USPS, the worker looked at my package and then asked me, “sending anything good?”.. I didn’t know what to say..”nothing but trash. Sports.” That got him to comment that he collects Pokémon and subs to PSA often with $40k worth sitting at PSA currently.[/QUOTE]


The sad part is he probably posed no threat to your cards,but considering the news lately being uneasy about that kind of interaction is understandable.the guy was "i hope"just sharing with a fellow collector.

[QUOTE=cardinalsooner;18040464]I wonder if he would get the packages home and be upset if he didn't hit anything big. "man, busted 20 bubble mailers today and got all base cards...no autos no parallels"[/QUOTE]

:cry:

send registered mail. /

For grading high end cards best option is during the show I guess or I don't know if PSA or BGS offer the drop off in person will be the best

Looking forward to his Fresh Out sitdown with Big Herc in 2035.

Wonder if he'll stay PC'd up since he's an obvious flipper.

[QUOTE=jmarascojr;18040739]I was dropping some cards off this morning at the post office for a PSA submission and the guy checking in my stuff started talking to me about cards.

I didn't say anything to him, he just read the label/address and started talking about collecting and cards.

While I don't mind chatting about cards, it kind of left me with an uneasy feeling that the guy knew where my stuff was going and that there were cards in the box.

If they disappear, at least I'll know why...[/QUOTE]

Oh this has happened to me at just about every post office I've been to over the past 20 years.

Sometimes it scares me more than others, especially if it is a young kid. Not sure why, but I always feel like they are at a higher risk to taking a chance to steal something.

But what I've really came to notice, is that all of these post office clerks know exactly what sports cards are and exactly what packages have them. They are just like cashiers at a supermarket. They see these packages many times over day after day. They go to get your mail, they see forms that have them documented, they have people coming in to complain that they are looking for their cards.. they know. All of them.

[QUOTE=rogueriver;18040892]Just yesterday I watched my Amazon delivery Driver ( not card related) scan and picture a package then proceed to take it back to her truck, I walked out and asked her what it was and she said it was a wrong address then looked at it and said OH MY BAD it is the right address......Maybe she was just having an off day or something, but I am willing to bet that that package would have never been seen again. They were just Fishing Lures, but still....I bet this happens with the mail a lot especially in the large sorting centers. we are living in a world today where you really cant trust anybody and people are more and more dishonest by the day, now I sound like my Dad[/QUOTE]

Amazon is a whole 'nother story. As the company continues to grow, they've had to hire so many employees, a lot of them with not exactly the greatest work/background history. And then you have all the counterfeit goods that are sold on their site which is an even bigger issue

Great, I read this thread the day I just shipped out my PSA order after finally winning some cheaper allocation.

Maybe we need to start shipping cards in different packaging :cry:

[QUOTE=cp312;18040776] [B]He even called PSA to see if there was some way to come in person with his cards (as we all know, there is not)[/B][/QUOTE]

I've always believed that was the walk-through service($600 with a declared value max of $9,999) or the higher premium services. Otherwise, a trip to the National, where you hand it to them in person would ease the stress.

But yeah, staying on topic, I haven't had many issues with the local Post Office myself. One card did come up missing but it didn't have tracking and I'm sure the guy was a douchebag and gaming the system.

Crazy. Happy to hear this guy was caught.

Over the past month or two I’ve seemingly had the toughest time with shipping (both USPS and FedEx), as a seller and a buyer.

Sold a box of 2020 NFL Contenders the Wednesday before the Super Bowl, 2 Day Shipping with the expectation the buyer would receive before the game. It scanned in as I shipped in my local post office, said it was processed, and hasn’t updated since. Buyer has since filed a charge back. Didn’t include insurance as it was only $800 or so. Not sure what to do in terms of next steps.

Have had 2 ‘overnight’ shipments take a week plus, one USPS and one FedEx.

Last but not least, shipped some cards to Canada which I rarely do. Took 1+ months to arrive and when it did, buyer sent pictures that it came within one of those plastic USPS bags. The box I shipped them in was open, my bubble mailer inside the box holding the cards was ripped open, but luckily the cards were still in there. It was around $1k in Barry Bonds cards. I can’t help but imagine someone opened it and realized it wasn’t enough to risk stealing.

To build on the above, aside from always buying insurance, it’s a pretty hopeless feeling. I feel like this has become so much more prevalent over the past few months.

[QUOTE=grade;18041356]send registered mail. /[/QUOTE]

For expensive items this is the way to go. Slower, but it will get there. (They sent the Hope Diamond registered mail.) If not someone's ass is grass because of security measures and the long paper trail process. Each postal worker has to sign for it every time it exchanges hands. Plus it's kept under lock and key away from all the other mail when it's not moving.

If you want added security on top of that add restricted delivery. Make the person receiving it to go to the PO and show ID to pick it up. Not the same as signature confirmation.

I think i've repeated the same spiel half a dozen times over the years. This should be a sticky for anyone sending expensive items through the mail.

Oh and one more thing. You can add insurance for up to $50K on registered mail.

Ditto Roger above. If I'm selling any big item I even offer to ship free via registered.
[IMG]https://i.imgur.com/6NHXDJN.png[/IMG]

[QUOTE=90skid;18040372]That's insane that he shows up at a card shop in his postal worker uniform to pawn off cards for cash. Just glad he got caught, and wish the true owners of these cards he still had possession of can be found.[/QUOTE]

Not very bright, maybe it explains the employment. All jokes aside be glad he could be among the Dumbest Criminals television series as if he had a brain in his head and sold this in another part of the country he could have done this for years until he was inevitably caught.

[QUOTE=bloodwings19;18040713]I'm suspecting my carrier is doing the same thing except he is stealing eBay envelope cards less than $20, but potential to be big cards (serial-numbered RCs). I've lost 2 already in 2 months and 1 was re-delivered after I inquired at the post office. After my visit to the post office, the carrier started to put packages at the front door.[/QUOTE]

With missed scans and false deliveries, I often wondered how many ebay standard envelopes are pocketed by USPS. Especially the printed label is pretty much a dead giveaway that the item is a sports card.

While I have no "hard proof" in as much, if I were a betting man, I'd say with virtually 1000% certainty, that one of my former mail carriers was a [B]CARD THIEF[/B], as well! I used to do a ton of TTM autos, the majority of which were sent during spring training. I made it a point to send to recent successes and players who were known as good signers. Long story short before this particular mail carrier was on my route, I'd get a high-percentage of returns. Let's just say in the upper 80 to low 90 percentile. The first, spring, after this scuzzball took over on the route, my success rate went to (LITERALLY!!)...........[COLOR="Red"]ZERO[/COLOR] out of 25-30 attempts! Needless to say, that was the last time I did spring training TTM. On a side note, she's no longer our carrier and I would not be the least bit surprised if she was canned for stealing.

[QUOTE=DiamondDonovan;18045848]With missed scans and false deliveries, I often wondered how many ebay standard envelopes are pocketed by USPS. Especially the printed label is pretty much a dead giveaway that the item is a sports card.[/QUOTE]

This is the problem with eBay with their name on their eBay envelope shipping. My mail carrier knows that I do cards which is not good for me. I believe if the carrier I suspect of pocketing cards, he likely will be changing routes. Couple days ago, USPS asked for me feedback and I gave them my issue. I have an eBay card, current status is:

Feb 27, 2022
8:50pm
Out for Delivery

I actually received this card last week.

[QUOTE=YourAvgSutton;18042569]To build on the above, aside from always buying insurance, it’s a pretty hopeless feeling. I feel like this has become so much more prevalent over the past few months.[/QUOTE]

What do you do if it shows delivered but package never showed up… either taken or delivered to wrong address by the postal person.

Check out this guy...

[url]https://www.blowoutforums.com/showthread.php?t=1436536[/url]

I have never seen any discussion about creating a lost/stolen cards database. Like anyone else on here I must have received/sent 100s or 1000s of mails. Only lost one. But, if the problem is getting more rampant, it might worth the effort. Personally, I would even accept if the air transit got caught in some turbulence and my cards ejected into the Atlantic Ocean, but at least I would know what happened to them. From that I could learn and make precautions, but not knowing what happened is the worst.

[QUOTE=8collector34;18049185]I have never seen any discussion about creating a lost/stolen cards database. Like anyone else on here I must have received/sent 100s or 1000s of mails. Only lost one. But, if the problem is getting more rampant, it might worth the effort. Personally, I would even accept if the air transit got caught in some turbulence and my cards ejected into the Atlantic Ocean, but at least I would know what happened to them. From that I could learn and make precautions, but not knowing what happened is the worst.[/QUOTE]

A blowout member has created a database of stolen cards. Also tracks altered and mislabeled slabs.

[url]https://www.tiffanycards.com/buyer-beware/stolen[/url]

What to do if your card(s) get stolen?

1) File a police report or mail fraud report.
2)List on social media.
3)When listing stolen cards be sure to include as much detailed information (Year, Player Name, Set Info, Parallel Info, Serial #, etc..) about the card as possible. This will increase chances of popping up on a google search.
4) Post a picture of front and back
5) If multiple cards are stolen, post them individually.
6) Send me an email or tag me on Twitter @tiffanycards to add to the list!