A 72-year-old Ohio man was recently convicted for installing a GPS tracker on a delivery driver’s vehicle to follow Pokémon card restocks, highlighting the lengths some in the card market go to secure inventory.
Tracking Devices and Restock Routes
Kent Kubasta admitted to placing a Spytec GPS device on a woman’s car while she was making a delivery at a local Walmart in June. The tracking device allowed Kubasta to monitor her location and determine exactly where she was delivering the trading cards. Police said the victim found the device and reported it to the Wayne County courts. Kubasta originally pleaded not guilty to the charge of illegal use of a tracking device.
The accused faced a deadline to surrender to jail on July 7, but he did not appear. His plea changed to no contest this week. The sentencing reflects the nature of the offense, requiring Kubasta to serve one year’s probation and wear a monitoring device for 90 days.
Market forces
Scalpers have increasingly used extreme methods to gain an advantage in the Pokémon card market. Their aggressive purchasing strategies have led retailers to impose purchase limits and disable vending machines. The high demand for these cards has created a significant profit motive, with rare cards sometimes used to settle debts with drug dealers.
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While some collectors resort to illegal surveillance, others use legitimate methods to track inventory. Online platforms like Restockd and community forums such as r/PokemonRestocks provide alerts for card drops at major retailers. Unlike the methods employed by Kubasta, these resources rely on public information and official restock schedules.
Similar to how digital security measures have evolved in response to data breaches, the physical security of delivery vehicles is becoming a critical concern as inventory distribution becomes more targeted. The conviction serves as a precedent for how courts may handle future cases involving surveillance of delivery personnel.
Victims and consumers should regularly inspect their vehicles for unauthorized tracking equipment. Law enforcement agencies recommend checking under bumpers and wheel wells during routine maintenance. Awareness of these risks remains essential for anyone involved in the delivery or resale of high-value goods.
The Legal Consequences for Unauthorized Tracking
The man accepted a plea deal after failing to surrender to jail on the deadline. He received a sentence of one year’s probation and must wear a monitoring device for ninety days. The court imposed this penalty to match the seriousness of placing a tracking device on a vehicle.
