Theft suspect arrested after thousands worth of stolen playing cards found in SoCal home

A man was arrested after authorities discovered thousands of dollars worth of stolen trading cards at his San Bernardino County home.

The suspect was identified as Thomas Dillon Ripley, 45, from Victorville, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.

On July 23, deputies responded to reports of a shoplifter at a Target store located at 19201 Bear Valley Road in Apple Valley.

Store security had detained Ripley for allegedly stealing around $300 worth of baseball cards.

He was taken into custody by deputies and later released with a citation to appear in court.

Retail theft detectives continued investigating the case. On Aug. 8, a search warrant was served at Ripley’s home in the 12800 block of Riverview Drive in Spring Valley Lake.

Inside, deputies discovered additional stolen cards, including valuable sports playing cards worth around $2,100.

To steal the cards, investigators said Ripley would reportedly place a fake barcode on products that would greatly decrease the item's price. He would then purchase the items and leave the store without suspicion.

Ripley was arrested for burglary and grand theft. He later posted bail and was released to appear in court on a later date.

Authorities note that many products sold on reseller sites such as OfferUp, Facebook Marketplace, Poshmark and more may be stolen merchandise.