‘Pokémon’ Card Mania Has Officially Gone Too Far
A 72-year-old Pokémon card collector from Ohio has been convicted of placing a GPS tracker on a delivery driver's vehicle to monitor where and when Pokémon cards were being delivered. The incident exemplifies how competitive and intense the collectible card market has become, with demand now far outpacing supply and driving collectors to extreme measures to secure packs at retail prices rather than paying inflated reseller markups.
Kent Kubasta admitted to the illegal tracking after the driver discovered the device in June and reported it to police. He pleaded no contest to the charges in Wayne County Municipal Court and was found guilty. The broader context reveals that Pokémon card restocks now vanish within hours, with dedicated collectors monitoring shipment schedules through informal networks, whilst purchase limits in stores have proven ineffective at ensuring availability for average customers.
- Collector convicted for GPS-tracking delivery driver to find Pokémon card restocks
- Demonstrates extreme lengths collectors resort to amid scarcity and reseller pricing
- 30th anniversary set offers better pull rates and affordable individual card purchases online