Former University of Louisville baseball player Sutton Whiting made headlines last year after he was arrested for stealing high-value sports trading cards and attempting to resell them. Whiting was charged with third-degree burglary, receiving stolen property $10,000 or more, and first-degree criminal mischief. He remains in custody at Metro Corrections on a $10,000 cash bond.
Whiting’s arrest citation stated that on Nov. 16, 2022, he broke into a game store called Through the Decades off South Hurstbourne Parkway using a crowbar to break the back door. After getting inside the store, Whiting broke a glass counter and stole $40,000 worth of sports trading cards. The store’s owner reported the theft to similar shops in the area, warning them that someone may come to their stores to sell the stolen cards.
Six hours later, Whiting visited the Louisville Sports Cards store in Middletown, attempting to sell three of the stolen trading cards worth $9,480. The store manager recognized the cards and suspected they were stolen. He informed Whiting that he knew they were stolen, and the latter fled the scene, leaving his vehicle at the store.
The store manager contacted Middletown Police, and Whiting’s vehicle was towed for police investigation. A search warrant allowed the police to search the vehicle, where they found a hat and a yellow sling bag that Whiting was reportedly wearing when he entered Through the Decades. Two of the stolen cards were also discovered inside the bag.
Whiting was arrested two days after the break-in. According to authorities, both the robbery and Whiting’s attempt to sell the high-value items were captured on video surveillance inside the stores.
Whiting played for the Cardinals between 2012 and 2015 and served as the team’s captain in 2014 and 2015. He was a 24th round pick for the 2015 Major League Baseball draft. The incident has undoubtedly marred his reputation, and it remains to be seen how it will affect his future prospects.
The damage to Through the Decades was valued at over $1,000, and several trading cards were damaged by the broken glass. The store owner has been left with the daunting task of repairing the damages, assessing the loss, and replacing the stolen merchandise. The incident highlights the growing problem of sports card theft and the need for greater security measures in such stores.
