Pokemon TCG Heist Sees FedEx Van Targeted

FedEx Van Targeted In "Significant" $1 Million Pokemon TCG Robbery Published Oct 20, 2026, 9:31 AM EDT Sam Woods is TheGamer’s Senior Reporter. He’s been in games journalism since 2020 and has undertaken a variety of roles in that time. These have included roles such as SEO Editor, Managing Editor at DualShockers, and Global Head of Gaming, and he's also been seen on the BBC. He was promoted to the Senior Reporter position in 2025 following a series of high-quality reports and exclusives for TheGamer. Since 2020, Sam has written over 3,000 articles and specializes in telling the stories of the people behind the games. He’s interviewed the biggest game directors, some of the industry’s top talents, told the stories of how indie games came to be, and spoken to players about what really makes them tick. He’s also interviewed some of the world’s biggest musical artists to find out how the medium has inspired their work, and TV and Film actors about their roles in video game adaptations. 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Sam’s first review was 2020’s Battletoads reboot, and he’s since reviewed games in The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario, and Pokemon franchises. Sign in to your TheGamer account A Pokemon Trading Card Game grading middleman has confirmed that a "significant" selection of their customers' collectibles were stolen. FedEx contacted the Sub Center, saying a secure transit vehicle had been targeted, with grading company PSA issuing a statement of its own. It comes as a spate of TCG robberies has plagued physical stores around the globe, alongside Ace Grading, a UK-based grading company. A "Significant Return Shipment" Of Graded Cards Stolen From Secure FedEx Transit Vehicle "We are deeply saddened to share some difficult news regarding a recent PSA return shipment," a post by The Sub Center begins. "Earlier this weekend, PSA informed us that a secure transit vehicle carrying a significant return shipment had been targeted in a theft incident whilst in the care of FedEx. Unfortunately, some of the stolen packages contained collectibles belonging to customers of The Sub Center." The Sub Center confirmed it is "working directly with PSA, FedEx’s Cargo Theft team and law enforcement in California, who are actively investigating the incident." While many details of the robbery remain unconfirmed with the investigation ongoing, reports say thieves stole over $963,000 worth of sports and Pokemon cards after heisting two pallets of 100 packages from a FedEx vehicle. The Sub Center says it is committed to "working with PSA and FedEx towards the best possible outcome." The Sub Center was originally founded in 2021 and offered collectors an easy way to submit their Pokemon TCG cards, alongside other collectibles, to US-based grading companies. It was one of a range of companies offering similar services that popped up post-covid, with the conception that submitting cards from the UK is difficult. PSA owner Collectors issued a similar statement to The Sub Center, saying, "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." This is where things get tricky, as PSA's version of "fair market value" may not align with collectors, especially if some of the submitted items had sentimental value. YouTuber Sky-B Cards is another impacted party, with 104 of their cards stolen. They claim they had collected the cards over two years, many of which were "irreplaceable". Earlier this year, PSA damaged a $45,000 card but offered only $19,000 in compensation, suggesting those who lost cards may face a battle. ​​​​​​These events follow complaints from UK delivery service Royal Mail, which claimed thieves were targeting their packages. The Pokemon TCG and wider CCG world is in dire straits right now. Dozens of stores have faced robberies over the past year, with some already arrested, and others have faced the long arm of the law for bringing "offensive weapons" to stores as scalpers face off. Franchise Pokemon Original Release Date October 20, 1996 Player Count 2 Age Recommendation 6+ Length per Game Variable Franchise Name Pokemon