In a story that could easily pass for the plot of an overly ambitious heist movie, complete with twists, turns, and a not-so-cunning use of eBay, a FedEx worker has been accused of pocketing high-value items straight out of his employment playground. Antwone Tate, while still operating under the guise of a diligent employee at the Memphis FedEx Hub, reportedly undertook a side hustle that involved pilfering parcels containing treasures worth more than some people’s annual salaries.
The modern-day loot saga began on a day that seemed like any other in late May. Packages went missing, inventory went awry, and employees went about their business, save for one, who was allegedly experiencing the euphoria of newfound valuables. FedEx’s Loss Prevention team, always armed with a metaphorical magnifying glass, sniffed out a peculiarly high rate of disappearing parcels. It wasn’t long before the investigation led them to Tate, and as the saying goes, “all that glitters is not gold”—unless, of course, it’s in Tate’s pocket.
The narrative unfolded with astonishing valuables taking center stage. Imagine an $8,500 diamond ring, sparkling under pawn shop lights, and more than $13,000 in gleaming gold bars, all deposited at a local pawn shop like sacrificial offerings to the gods of bad decisions. Tate, not an advocate of subtlety or anonymity, evidently deemed it fitting to pawn these glitzy items using none other than his own driver’s license. In an outcome that surprised no one, the act flagged the authorities faster than you can say “unemployment benefits.”
Let’s not forget the third act in this drama—a package not with tangible treasure, but one imbued with nostalgia. Vintage baseball cards disappeared with the grace of a stealthy ninja. Among these were gems such as the 1915 Cracker Jack Chief Bender and the 1933 Goudey Sport Kings Ty Cobb card. These pieces of history carried a value worthy of a top collector’s showcase, pegging the treasure trove at a delightful $6,800. In a twist reminiscent of comedic mismanagement, the cards found new exposure on eBay under the account name antta_57. Let’s just say this choice of online alter ego was anything but clandestine.
An investigator, having exhausted only a fraction of their sleuthing prowess, quickly connected the eBay account back to Tate, making his detour into the criminal underworld a resounding flop.
Now facing theft of property charges, Tate’s escapades have concluded with a reverberating thud. FedEx acted with the precision and speed we all wish parcel deliveries shared, disassociating from Tate with the corporate equivalent of a brisk heel-turn. They released a statement to emphasize the reinstatement of organizational integrity, reminding all employees in bold, metaphorical neon letters that package relocation for personal gain was undoubtedly not in the job description.
What lessons are gleaned from this ill-conceived journey? If your package is delayed and left in courier purgatory, harbor a glimmer of hope that it’s not in the clutches of a rogue employee turning entrepreneurial with your wares. And if you’re spelunking into the e-commerce abyss of eBay, perhaps think twice before clicking on listings authored by freshly minted accounts flaunting remarkable deals on luxury baubles. If the alias seems oddly reminiscent of a confession or sporting numeral ciphers like an amateur code, chances are you’ve stumbled into the wrong saga of lost package exploits.
Tate’s tale is a mélange of misjudged opportunities woven with glaring audacity, unveiling both the fragilities and flukes of human conduct. While the endeavor might have added a sprinkle of thrill to mundane parcel processing, it definitively ends with the lesson that even when faced with sparkling temptations, discretion and honesty are, arguably, the best policemen. So, while parcels may cross transitory worlds and mysteries abound in the delivery cosmos, one thing is certain—don’t trade your steady job for gimmicky heists and online profiles that practically scream “busted.”
