Pahrump Man Strikes Out Trying to Steal Baseball Cards—Twice

In a display of criminal consistency that would make even the most loyal baseball fans wince, local man Zach Neely found himself tagged out not– once but twice–after allegedly swiping hundreds of dollars worth of baseball cards from Walmart.

Deputy Spencer Hagan of the Nye County Sheriff’s Office responded to Walmart’s call where Neely was reportedly seen making a break for it—albeit in a white GMC Denali rather than on foot. Hagan intercepted him before he could steal home, placing him in handcuffs and seating him in the patrol car, where the suspect promptly confessed to the previous day’s heist as well.

According to the arrest report, Neely, perhaps mistaking himself for a bankable major leaguer, admitted he “had the means of paying for the items, but just chose not to.” This bold strategy, while impressive in its sheer audacity, did not, as it turns out, pay off.

Inside the vehicle, deputies discovered what Hagan described as a “plethora” of baseball cards—though it’s unclear whether Neely was aiming to start a collection or open an underground trading post. Walmart’s surveillance footage confirmed that Neely had indeed rounded all points of sale without so much as a courtesy nod to the cash register, swiping approximately $530 worth of cards.

In a move that suggests Neely believes in second chances—at least for himself—he had allegedly attempted this same stunt at the same Walmart two years prior. Store security had a memory longer than he anticipated.

With this history in mind, law enforcement concluded that Neely would continue treating Walmart like his personal clubhouse unless stopped, leading to his arrest on two counts of petit larceny.

It remains unknown whether Neely will attempt a third inning in this ongoing match-up against Walmart, but for now, he’s benched—by the Nye County Sheriff’s Office.