By Mara H. Gottfried

St. Paul Pioneer Press

Someone broke into a building in St. Paul’s Merriam Park early Thursday and stole more than 500 vintage sports cards, according to police and the owner.

The value may be about $200,000, according to police. The Ninth Inning owner Bob Krawetz said he is still determining the amount.

“This is my livelihood that’s been destroyed,” said Krawetz, who has operated the business full-time since 1986.

Krawetz said he believes it was a targeted, professional burglary.

He uses the building in the 1600 block of Selby Avenue as an office, not a store, and doesn’t have a sign outside. Three other sports memorabilia businesses in the Twin Cities were burglarized in March and April. It’s unknown if the St. Paul burglary is connected to the others, but investigators will be looking into, said Sgt. Mike Ernster, a St. Paul police spokesman.

On Thursday, St. Paul officers responded to a report of an alarm sounding at 12:30 a.m. and met Krawetz at his business. He said he was awakened by the alarm company calling and, though he’s had false alarms in the past, had a bad feeling about this one.

Police found someone had broken in through a back window and ransacked the office, according to Ernster. Krawetz is estimating 500 to 550 cards were stolen.

The high-end cards stolen include baseball greats like Mickey Mantle, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth and Joe DiMaggio, along with more obscure cards, Krawetz said.