SANDPOINT _ The burglars who broke into Burt Mailman's shopeither made a lucky grab or were well-versed in sports memorabilia.
Along with some baseball cards worth a buck, the thievessnatched some pricey players.
Missing from the shelves at Ebbets Field sports card shop are a1963 Pete Rose worth $1,100, a '68 Nolan Ryan with a book value of$1,500 and a '61 Wilt Chamberlain valued at $1,600.
'Whoever did it had to know a little bit about cards to takethem,' said Mailman. 'But it didn't look like they were walkingalong and picking and choosing. They just picked up a couple ofshelves of stuff.'
In all, Mailman lost about $8,000 worth of cards. That includesa couple of Cal Ripkin cards, a Mike Schmidt and two 1982 Topps boxset trading series.
'I've had these cards for years and years, and a lot of them Iwouldn't even sell. It's just stuff for people to look at, but Idon't have to worry about that anymore,' said a frustrated Mailman.
Authorities said the store on Pine Street was burglarized lateSunday or early Monday. The card snatchers smashed the glass in thefront door and made off with the collectibles.
Kids have been in the store all week asking Mailman about theburglary.
'I thought I had moved far enough away from all that (crime),but I guess the bad guys are here, too,' he said, adding that mostof his anger has subsided.
'That doesn't mean I can say I wouldn't be in jail if I get myhands on these people.'
Mailman suspects the burglars will try to resell the cards.Because they aren't marked with identification numbers, it will bedifficult, authorities said, for other shop owners to verify thecards are stolen.
'Most reputable card stores won't buy them, though,' Mailmansaid. 'It would be suspicious. There aren't that many of thosecards around here or in Spokane.'
The cards were insured, but the heist wiped out some ofMailman's best inventory. He now plans to keep his expensivecollectibles in a safe deposit box instead of on display and alsoto beef up security.
