Police arrest man in connection with sports card thefts

Spokane Valley police on Thursday arrested a man in connection with the theft of thousands of dollars worth of collectible sports cards. According to a news release, on Oct. 26, Collector’s Corner at 106 N. Evergreen Road was burgled, and lost nearly $10,000 worth of high-end sports cards. Two days later, Gameday Sports Cards, 9425 N. Division St., reported $400 worth of cards missing. Then on Nov. 3, Spokane Valley Sportscards, 9411 E. First, lost cards valued at nearly $5,000. Robert J. Frates, 27, of Spokane, went to Sports Cards Northwest, 13800 E. Sprague Ave., on Nov. 11 and offered to trade some cards for other merchandise. The owner recognized the cards as some of the ones that had been stolen and called police. Frates was arrested Thursday and booked into Spokane County Jail on a charge of first-degree possession of stolen property, according to police. He remained in jail today on $40,000 bond.