In what sounds like a plot lifted straight from a sitcom script (or perhaps, a reality show about bizarre crimes), a FedEx employee decided that delivering packages was simply not thrilling enough. Instead, Antwone Tate, a Memphis-based worker of the globally recognized courier company, took a gamble on a side hustle involving items far more luxurious than your average Amazon delivery. Spoiler alert: things did not go well for Tate.
The story begins, as many intriguing stories do, in Memphis, Tennessee. You can imagine the bustling FedEx hub operating like a well-oiled machine—except for the part involving Tate who, according to accusations, thought of it as his personal treasure hunt. Among the perks of his job, he allegedly included “finders keepers,” helping himself to an incredible array of packages that didn’t quite make it to their rightful owners.
First on this dubious shopping spree was an $8,500 diamond ring. Now, diamonds might be a girl’s best friend, but in this case, they were Tate’s ticket to trouble. Next came nearly $14,000 worth of gold bars. Typically locked away in bank vaults or pirate ships, these golden bricks somehow found themselves on Tate’s radar. And, as if bling wasn’t enough, Tate’s pilfering extended to the world of sports memorabilia, nabbing some cardboard treasures that would have any collector wide-eyed with envy.
Included in this retro raid was a 1915 Cracker Jack Chief Bender card and a 1933 Goudey Sport Kings Ty Cobb—so prestigious in the collector world that they’re akin to the Mona Lisa of baseball cards. Combined, these artifacts had a price tag of about $6,800. Quite the haul for someone whose job description didn’t include “part-time antique trader.”
With valuable items popping up suspiciously absent, it didn’t take long for FedEx’s own Loss Prevention department to catch wind of something amiss. May 27 was the day when all eyes turned to Tate. After connecting the missing dots (and packages), investigators quickly found themselves peering into the glittering abyss of a local pawn shop. There, they discovered the vanishing act was more smoke than mirrors, as the misplaced ring and gold bars appeared—like magic—on the shop shelves.
For those who thought handing over his driver’s license while fencing stolen goods might go unnoticed, Tate was in for a rude awakening. Law enforcement traced the transactions back to none other than our audacious FedEx staffer. And as if belonging to this group of ill-gotten goods wasn’t bad enough, the story continued with an e-commerce twist.
Enter eBay—home of auctions and, in this case, clues. The prized baseball cards had the digital fingerprints of Tate all over them. Listed under the username antta_57, anyone with a knack for updates and OSX Sherlock Holmes could trace that back to Tate faster than you can say “rookie mistake.”
Needless to say, this case brought to life the old adage: crime doesn’t pay. The colorful caper has landed Tate in seriously hot water, charged with theft of property. His adventures with precious metals and collectible cards will now play out in court rather than on the auction block.
As for FedEx, they wrapped up their involvement in this gripping saga with a definitive corporate goodbye to Tate, emphasizing that turning customers’ packages into a side gig isn’t part of employee guidelines. In a statement likely meant for both internal and public audiences, the company reiterated a rather basic tenet that’s sadly overlooked by Tate: stealing is, indeed, not a part of the job.
For package recipients everywhere, rest easy knowing that FedEx—custodians of your eagerly awaited deliveries—are on the case, ensuring that items sparkling and sentimental make it to your doorsteps, avoided of a detour to a pawn shop or eBay listing. In what can only be described as a reminder for the ages, the next time you await a package, remember this tale. And if for some odd reason your delivery plunges into the unknown, it might just pay to scan online auctions—although we’d steer clear of anything listed by antta_58.
