Suspects found with $500K in stolen sports cards and hundreds of passports after dramatic arrest, police say

3 months ago 29

Mitchell Guttenberg, co-owner of Bullpen Sports HQ successful El Segundo, California, wasn’t astir to get fooled twice.

When 2 acquainted faces walked into his store connected April 10, helium called the police, according to KTLA 5, and successful doing truthful helium whitethorn person helped ace a large theft case.

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Officers apprehended the brace astatine the store and uncovered a staggering haul: hundreds of stolen ID cards, stolen passports, methamphetamine, a loaded handgun and implicit $500,000 worthy of uncommon sports cards and memorabilia packed.

It was a melodramatic extremity to a bid of actions that had softly started weeks earlier. Here’s what happened.

How the events unfolded

Guttenberg archetypal encountered the suspected criminals — a antheral and a pistillate — successful precocious March erstwhile they visited Bullpen Sports HQ hoping to merchantability a ample batch of sports cards.

“They were calm,” Guttenberg recalled to KTLA 5 successful a communicative published April 23. “They said their begetter had passed distant and helium had been collecting for years.”

Trusting their story, Guttenberg says helium bought the cards. It wasn’t until aboriginal that helium learned the items were reported stolen. So, erstwhile the aforesaid brace returned to the store 2 weeks later, Guttenberg didn’t hesitate — helium called the cops.

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According to police, erstwhile officers arrived, the antheral fishy tried to fly the store. Surveillance footage obtained by the section broadcaster captured the infinitesimal officers tackled him conscionable extracurricular the entrance. During the struggle, the antheral allegedly reached toward his waistband, wherever determination was a afloat loaded handgun. Officers subdued and arrested him without superior injuries.

Furthermore, constabulary accidental that wrong the suspects’ conveyance — a stolen car — officers discovered the antecedently mentioned haul stolen goods and drugs.

The antheral fishy was arrested connected charges including being a felon successful possession of a firearm, possession of stolen property, cause charges, driving a stolen conveyance and resisting arrest, according to KTLA 5. The pistillate was arrested for possession of stolen property, possession of hard drugs with 2 oregon much anterior convictions and possession of individuality theft materials with a erstwhile conviction.

How to debar purchasing pinched goods

Guttenberg had nary thought the cards helium purchased were stolen — and successful galore cases, it's hard for buyers to tell. But determination are steps you tin instrumentality to support yourself arsenic a businessperson and collector.

Shop astatine trusted stores: Most stores person policies successful spot to support themselves from theft. While they aren't ever foolproof, it's a archetypal enactment of defense.
Ask for impervious of ownership: Request a receipt, measure of merchantability oregon serial numbers. Authentic collectors should person nary occupation providing documentation you tin usage to verify their wares are legit.
Look for reddish flags: Suspiciously debased prices, missing archetypal packaging oregon inconsistent stories from the seller are signs that thing mightiness beryllium wrong. Don't hazard your wealth connected fishy purchases.
Verify authenticity: For high-value items, it whitethorn beryllium worthy getting a 2nd sentiment from an adept earlier you buy. An appraiser oregon different manufacture adept tin assistance corroborate if memorabilia is legit.
Search online: Use searchable databases oregon cheque special-interest online forums to spot if akin items person been reported stolen. This tin besides assistance you spot terms discrepancies.
Trust your gut: If thing feels off, it astir apt is. Walking distant is amended than getting tangled up successful stolen goods unknowingly.

While it’s not ever imaginable to spot a scam, being cautious tin support you — and your wallet — from becoming portion of idiosyncratic else's transgression story.