A New York City card shop co-owned by NFL legend Tom Brady was hit by a clever thief who walked out with thousands of dollars in rare collectibles after tricking employees with a fake payment. The heist took place on October 20 at CardVault by Tom Brady, located in Manhattan’s SoHo neighborhood.
Police say the suspect entered the shop and attempted to buy high-value baseball and Pokémon cards. When his credit card was declined, he shifted tactics, using the store’s tap-to-pay terminal in a way that mimicked a successful transaction. Believing the payment had been approved, staff handed over merchandise valued at $9,710.
Surveillance footage released by the NYPD shows the man wearing a Yankees baseball cap, a black hoodie, black shorts, white socks and sneakers, and carrying a multicolored bag decorated with a cartoon image. After securing the cards, he immediately left the shop and has not been located since.
Authorities are calling on the public to help identify the suspect and are encouraging anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers. The incident adds to a string of retail thefts in Manhattan involving high-value, easy-to-resell items, including luxury handbags, electronics and now specialty trading cards.