Man arrested after stealing $9,000 in sports cards from downtown store

Approximately $9,000 worth of autographed sports cards and hobby boxes vanished from a downtown Cheyenne shop during a break-in on Nov. 1.

Gregory Means, a 48-year-old man from Florida, was taken into custody last Thursday on one count of felony burglary. The charge carries a potential maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Means is presumed innocent until a plea is entered or a verdict is reached.

The theft occurred in the early morning hours at T&R Sports Cards, located in the city center. The store was closed and locked when the incident took place. The owner monitored the premises via remote security footage and observed a male subject entering the building, shattering a display case, and exiting the location.

When police officers arrived at the scene, they found the entrance door ajar and the broken case that had held the autographed inventory. The missing items included high-value collectibles such as a Tom Brady rookie card from 2000, a Panini baseball 2026 orange hobby box, and various autographed cards featuring athletes like John Elway, Drake Maye, and Caitlin Clark. The estimated value of a single Panini hobby box was $1,600, while other individual cards ranged from $63.79 to $900.

Detectives reviewed security footage from nearby businesses, including the Spiker Parking Garage and the Pioneer Hotel, to trace the suspect's movements. The video showed a man wearing baggy clothes and a brimmed beanie walking from the garage to the store. He exited the store approximately 15 minutes later carrying a duffel bag or backpack and proceeded toward the hotel.

Staff at the Pioneer Hotel, where Means stayed regularly, recognized him from the footage. One manager stated that he had been listening to police scanner audio the night of the theft and recalled seeing Means enter the lobby late that evening. Hotel staff noted that Means had a history of attempting to defraud sellers by ordering cards online and claiming they were never delivered.

When police confronted Means outside his hotel room, he denied involvement and refused to let officers inside. He closed the door on them, and police waited outside until he emerged to make the arrest. Search warrants were issued shortly after the detention.

Officers recovered stolen cards thrown outside a lower-level balcony window and hidden in the spare tire compartment of his car. They also found items not initially reported stolen, including signed golf balls, an Ashton Jeanty autograph card, and a Dak Prescott card. A crowbar was discovered under the mattress in his hotel room.

Means was released on a $10,000 cash bond. A judge in Laramie County Circuit Court is scheduled to hear the facts of the case on Nov. 13 to determine whether the District Court should take up the matter.