Man sentenced to 10 years in prison for 2023 card shop robbery

In one of the most brazen acts of criminality to impact the hobby community as a whole, the first of four defendants involved in the 2023 robbery of Instant Replay Sports Cards (Panama City, FL) was sentenced to approximately 10 years behind bars and was also ordered to pay $183,000 to the victims he burglarized.

According to a report featured on WMBBs website, the local ABC news affilite, "Prosecutors noted that Leon Rowe, Jr. and his accomplices engaged in a robbery spree that stretched from Panama City, Florida westward into Eastern Louisiana between late 2022 and early 2023. A law enforcement official then described the robbery crew’s operation as fast, detail-oriented, skillfully coordinated, and devastating for the businesses that were caught in its wrath".

Damage from 2023 Robbery at Instant Replay Sports Cards | Sports Collectors Daily

“In a span of just two minutes, they destroyed a business that a man spent decades building", Prosecutor Zachary VanDyke said while making it clear that the shop owner experienced a deep emotional wound as well as a near-unrecoverable financial toll. Although the prosecutor expressed relief that accountability had been secured by the defendant and restitution ordered, the victim’s irreplaceable collection could never truly be fully restored.

From a collectible’s perspective, these thieves made off with cards from some the hobby’s most legendary names, including but not limited to a 1955 Sandy Koufax card valued at $4,500 and a 1954 Hank Aaron worth $4,000. In addition to the Koufax and Aaron, there were a total of 65 Mickey Mantle cards, 34 Hank Aarons, 11 Whitey Fords, and numerous cards from legends such as Tom Seaver, Roger Maris, Nolan Ryan, and Johnny Bench.

Interior of Instant Replay Sports Cards (Panama City, FL) | https://www.mypanhandle.com/news/local-news/bay-county/panama-city/over-100000-in-baseball-cards-stolen-from-panama-city-memorabilia-store/

Video shows a masked man striking the shop’s glass entrance with a large hammer, that was then followed by the same man kicking open a hole and allowing his accomplices to breach. At least two of the other suspects grabbed collectible bats from the shop’s own inventory to smash open the inner glass display cases and steal the vintage inventory.

Although Leon Rowe Jr.’s conviction stands as a testament to the dedication of both law enforcement and the district attorneys that were involved, it should also stand as a cautionary tale. Why? Because both shop owners and collectors everywhere need to regularly ensure the safety and security of high-end collections in an effort to protect themselves from situations such as this.