Man Tracked Pokémon Card Deliveries, Pleads No Contest
A 72-year-old Ohio man admitted to placing a GPS tracker on a delivery driver's car to find out when Pokémon cards would arrive at stores.
A Pokémon card collector in Ohio placed a GPS tracker on a woman's vehicle to follow her delivery route, according to local news reports cited by Collider. The driver discovered the device in June and contacted Wooster police.
Kent Kubasta, 72, admitted to investigators that he placed the tracker to learn where and when Pokémon cards were being delivered. He pleaded no contest to illegal use of a tracking device in Wayne County Municipal Court and was found guilty.
The case reflects a broader shift in the hobby: getting Pokémon cards at retail price has become a challenge separate from the cards' appeal. Releases can now involve watching restock accounts and arriving before stores open.
A criminal turn in the hunt for cards
What was once a simple trip to a store has, for some collectors, become a logistical pursuit. In this instance, it crossed into illegal surveillance, ending with a conviction.
Quick answers
What was Kent Kubasta accused of?
He placed a GPS tracker on a delivery driver's vehicle to learn where and when Pokémon cards were being delivered.
What was the outcome of the case?
Kubasta pleaded no contest to illegal use of a tracking device in Wayne County Municipal Court and was found guilty.
How did the driver find the tracker?
The driver found the device in June and contacted Wooster police.