Kamal Ghorui
Florida man has been arrested after police say he used taco seasoning packets to steal trading cards worth nearly $40,000 from Target stores across the state.Police allege that 39-year-old Keith Wallis of Palm Beach carried out a series of thefts at Target locations from Miami to Orlando between July 2025 and February 2026. Investigators say he chose large boxes of trading cards along with cheap taco seasoning packets when he entered the stores.At self‑checkout, Wallis is accused of scanning and paying only for the cheap seasoning packets, then leaving the store with the valuable card boxes. After taking the goods, the authorities say he sold the stolen trading cards online, mainly on eBay, making nearly $40,000 in revenue.According to the press release from the Florida Attorney General’s Office, Target suffered a loss of more than $10,000 from the alleged thefts, which included about 75 separate incidents. The cards Wallis allegedly targeted are often highly collectible and can fetch strong prices among buyers.Wallis has been charged with felony organised retail theft, felony dealing in stolen property and felony money laundering. If convicted on all counts, he could face up to 90 years in the Florida Department of Corrections, authorities say.Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said that such schemes “will be met with the maximum punishment allowed under the law.”Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said the investigation involved cooperation between county and state law enforcement, and added that those who profit from stealing will be held accountable.Authorities also say Wallis is being investigated for similar thefts at other stores including Walmart and Publix.
