Tom Brady’s Palo Alto card shop was burglarized just over a week after its celebrity-attended grand opening.
The former New England Patriots quarterback, 47, had cut the ribbon at the CardVault location on Aug. 15, drawing fans who reportedly waited more than eight hours for a chance to see the NFL legend. The break-in occurred over the weekend, with suspects smashing a window and several display cases inside the store, according to police. The thieves made off with 60 trading cards valued at more than $12,000.
Brady has spoken openly about his lifelong enthusiasm for sports collectibles. “Very surreal. Growing up in San Mateo. I got into collecting when I was a young kid. A huge fan of the 49ers Niners, and San Francisco Giants, the Warriors, and it was very surreal to come back,” he told KTVU at the opening. He posed for pictures, signed memorabilia and spent time with fans and members of the CardVault team before the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The Palo Alto location marks the 19th store for the CardVault chain and its third in California. Brady also has locations in San Francisco and Sacramento. The San Mateo native grew up not far from where the new shop now stands.
The store specializes in trading cards and sports collectibles and features a “vault” with autographed memorabilia. CardVault also sells collectibles beyond sports, including Pokémon and Magic trading card products on its website.
This is not the first time the chain has been targeted by thieves. Last November, a man stole $10,000 in baseball and Pokémon cards from the SoHo CardVault location in New York City. The thief manipulated the tap-to-pay system to trick an employee into believing the transaction had gone through, authorities said.
Collectibles and trading cards have become an increasingly hot target for criminals looking to make quick money. The high value of rare cards and the relative ease of resale have made card shops attractive to thieves across the country.
Brady’s personal appearances at his card shops have consistently boosted attention to the business. His visit to the Palo Alto opening drew significant crowds, with fans camping out for hours in hopes of seeing the seven-time Super Bowl champion.
In the viral moment that preceded the burglary, Brady had returned to his Bay Area roots to celebrate the store launch, reconnecting with the region where he first developed his passion for collecting. The grand opening represented a full-circle moment for the quarterback, who spent his childhood collecting cards of his favorite local teams before going on to become one of the most decorated players in NFL history.
The Palo Alto Police Department has not announced any arrests in connection with the weekend break-in.