How much theft.

[spuds1961]

I am just curious as to how much theft there is in the card sections at retail stores in your area. I live in Mississippi and lately I have noticed that the card sections at the Walmarts and Targets around here have been getting hit pretty bad. I ask today only because the Walmart closest to my house has usually been pretty good, but what I saw really disappointed me, there were 3 hanger relic boxes opened with the hits taken out of them, there were 2 of the finest football blisters opened and missing a pack each and the leaf draft boxes in football were opened and the autographs were pilfered. I hate seeing this happening as two Walmarts in my area already stopped selling cards because of theft and I am afraid if it keeps happening the other Walmarts won't be far behind.

[JWinn]

I went to Walmart if Elizabeth, Colorado tonight.

They only had three packs of Chrome (with 5 orange) for Topps football. And a few Panini selections. Just got one of the Chrome, and nothing decent to report.

But I looked for evidence of theft after reading this earlier today, and I can report no tampering was evident. I searched for the Finest and Field Access stuff you've been finding (no luck), so I looked pretty good. Sometimes that stuff gets buried/hidden in the back of the shelf, so I look always pretty thoroughly.

I did notice that this area had nobody anywhere near it, despite it being in the middle of the cashiers row. All the activity was at the one end by the doors.

I didn't look for cameras, but noticed that nobody seemed to notice my digging around there for about 5 minutes, looking for something better than the Chrome pack, which I knew was unlikely to have any ink or swatch, in it.

I did get a Marcus Mariota, so it wasn't all bad.

But no empty packs, or torn boxes. I will note that the area looked pretty clean/organized. It's possible somebody cleaned it up before I got there. It's usually kind of a mess.


The Target I usually go to, in Parker, has the card section right at the end, by the 15 items or less register, which is always manned and open. That wall is always a mess, thin with product (they just never seem to have much anymore), and I often find open packs and other evidence that someone has been tampering with stuff.

Gotta be careful buying there. More careful than a customer should have to be. But I learned that by reading here. Other posters have told nightmare stories of getting home, and realizing the box they got had been not only opened, but someone had actually took the time to put crap cards back in the box, reseal it, and then return it to Target/Walmart, who just puts it back on the shelf.

So you need to be very vigilant about this stuff. Bad guys everywhere these days.

[spuds1961]

I went to Walmart if Elizabeth, Colorado tonight.

They only had three packs of Chrome (with 5 orange) for Topps football. And a few Panini selections. Just got one of the Chrome, and nothing decent to report.

But I looked for evidence of theft after reading this earlier today, and I can report no tampering was evident. I searched for the Finest and Field Access stuff you've been finding (no luck), so I looked pretty good. Sometimes that stuff gets buried/hidden in the back of the shelf, so I look always pretty thoroughly.

I did notice that this area had nobody anywhere near it, despite it being in the middle of the cashiers row. All the activity was at the one end by the doors.

I didn't look for cameras, but noticed that nobody seemed to notice my digging around there for about 5 minutes, looking for something better than the Chrome pack, which I knew was unlikely to have any ink or swatch, in it.

I did get a Marcus Mariota, so it wasn't all bad.

But no empty packs, or torn boxes. I will note that the area looked pretty clean/organized. It's possible somebody cleaned it up before I got there. It's usually kind of a mess.


The Target I usually go to, in Parker, has the card section right at the end, by the 15 items or less register, which is always manned and open. That wall is always a mess, thin with product (they just never seem to have much anymore), and I often find open packs and other evidence that someone has been tampering with stuff.

Gotta be careful buying there. More careful than a customer should have to be. But I learned that by reading here. Other posters have told nightmare stories of getting home, and realizing the box they got had been not only opened, but someone had actually took the time to put crap cards back in the box, reseal it, and then return it to Target/Walmart, who just puts it back on the shelf.

So you need to be very vigilant about this stuff. Bad guys everywhere these days.

Good to see that your first store was well kept, I also look behind boxes and stuff when I am in Walmart as you would be surprised how many times I've found the good boxes hidden. I also find it interesting that these stores do not even watch their card sections knowing how much theft goes on. I wouldn't risk stealing as I have seen a couple of people get caught in my Walmart's and yes they will prosecute.

[JWinn]

Good to see that your first store was well kept, I also look behind boxes and stuff when I am in Walmart as you would be surprised how many times I've found the good boxes hidden. I also find it interesting that these stores do not even watch their card sections knowing how much theft goes on. I wouldn't risk stealing as I have seen a couple of people get caught in my Walmart's and yes they will prosecute.

Ya know, I didnt even know about the Topps mega boxes, and those one's with the Valor packs until reading your posts.

And like you said, I found the few I did buried behind Pokemon and Yugioh products.

The last one I found was on the opposite end of the wall, tucked behind Pokemon boxes or sets. It looked like someone had tried to hide it there for the next time they came in or something. If I hadn't searched thoroughly, I never would have found it.

And gotten my one Valor auto patch card!

More than retail though, I expect the hobby shops in Denver have a lot of theft. The two I go to (rare as it is) are always both a complete mess. Packed full of so much stuff, piles of cards and what have you everywhere, barely enough room to walk around and browse, it's amazing they can keep track of anything.

At the one I frequent the most, there isn't even room to put a box of cards on the counter to take out your wallet and pay. There's just too much crap everywhere.

I imagine people grab singles (all over the counter) and whatever else they can pocket, as the guy is usually the only one in there, and there's just no way he can keep track of customers with his face buried on the computer working ebay.

The other is an even bigger store. And while they have "staff", it's usually just one guy up front, and this place is even more packed, and kinda dark inside. While they have counter room at the register, it's got to be very easy to steal from them.

Some people just don't realize, and make it easy.

My old neighbors used to leave their garage door open all the time. She stayed at home, and left it open so the kids could come and go as they pleased. Especially in the summer.

Well, sure enough, one day she comes over and asks if we had seen anyone in her garage, because a bike and skis were missing, as well as some other stuff.

Not only that, she also left the door into the house unlocked, and she realized something much worse could have happened. Whoever took her bike could have also come and……..

She was hysterical with fright at would could have happened, and pretty upset she had been robbed also.


About a month later, another neighbor had her car stolen because they left the garage door open just a foot or so, for the cat. Her purse and phone, of course, were also in the car, as were the keys.

They woke her up raising the door and driving out right below the bedroom. She watched her car drive away.

Those two dealers have been around forever, so I assume they have cameras, and deal with theft somehow, but I always think of my old neighbors when I walk into those stores. They just seem to make it easy.

And nope, as tempting as it may be, I have never pocketed anything. I simply feel I have too much to lose over a petty theft charge.

I used to know this guy I worked with at Monty Wards. (remember them?) Anyway, we stared hanging out and he was very big into video games. Turns out, he liked to steal them from Wards, and hide them in his coat during his breaks. One day he took me golfing (has was really into that, me not so much) and after we were done, we were walking back to the car when he spotted a putter leaning on someone's car.

He ran over and grabbed it, and slinked back to my car, bragging about his "five finger discount", and proceeded to tell me all about how he never paid for almost anything. He really though it was cool, and that everyone and every store "deserved it" for being lazy about security. Especially Montgomery Wards. He loved stealing from them.

I got home, told my wife about that, and we never socialized with them again.

I just was not willing to be around that. He made me a party to his theft of the golf club (we were in my car), and I just was not about to go to jail, or even deal with, his stealing. Pretty soon, we stopped hanging out together.

Get this, he was in law school, studying to be a lawyer!

[tutall]

the local wal mart I live by has a couple jokers that buy the boxes, rip them open, put the packs back in, then wrap them with ceran wrap and return them. I have shown them multiple times what is going on and we stood and opened boxes for a few minutes a month or so ago so I could show them the difference. Topps isnt on the wrapper, no seam where the wrap comes together, really thin feeling plastic. It doesnt even matter, nothing changes except I assume they dont return them for a few days until they forget about it.

[JWinn]

Yup, like I said in my first reply.

I learned all that here. Reading others experiences at Target & Walmart.

Lucky I have never been victim to that.

Heck, I never even thought about it until I joined here and started reading. But I have paid more attention since then, and been more careful.