Aron Gratias said he stored his collection in a locked 40-foot storage container near Shellbrook while moving to Lake Emma. The memorabilia included a Rookie Wayne Gretzky card along with signed, certified hockey jerseys. Gratias said the collection – which focused almost entirely on Gretzky memorabilia – included thousands of hockey cards along with pictures, game tickets and hockey sticks, some signed by the Great One. “My biggest fear is that it will end up in a rubbish bin or a rubbish dump or a landfill somewhere.” said Gratias. Aron Gratias and his son with hockey legends Gordie Howe and Wayne Gretzky. (Aron Gratias)
When Gratia’s father-in-law went to inspect the farm over the weekend, he noticed that the locks were broken in one of the warehouses and the door was open. Gratias, who was missing for work, asked Tera’s wife to check and see what might be missing. “When he got there, he knew immediately what they were asking for. Everything, every piece of the collection was gone,” he said, adding that thieves had bypassed other, more valuable household items in favor of sports souvenirs. The couple reported the theft to the local RCMP, which opened a case file, Gratias said. For me it was invaluable.- Aron Gratias
In response to a CBC request, the RCMP submitted a list of stolen items. Includes:

19 Gretzky jerseys, with autograph. Large Gretzky pictures and large painting, all with autographs. Autograph sticks. Autograph elves all in showcases. Nearly 10,000 cards, including 2,200 from Gretzky, some with autographs and one with Gretzky Rookie Card PSA 8. 1979 Mattel dolls still in boxes. Figurines, some autographs. The Canadian team with autograph photos.

“A lot of people asked me what I thought my collection was worth. It was invaluable to me,” Gratias said. “Many of these items can never be replaced.” Jack Jensen, owner of West Edmonton Coin and Stamp, specializes in selling sports souvenirs. He said a signed, certified Wayne Gretzky hockey jersey could sell for $ 2,000 and a stick could go for $ 1,000 to $ 2,000. “Some of them can be expensive.” Jensen said it was not uncommon to see sports memorabilia stolen for resale. “These days, eBay, Kijiji, the Internet is where most of these criminals sell these things because there is not much tracking.”

In love with Gretzky since childhood

Gratias was obsessed with Gretzky for the first time as a child playing hockey in Saskatoon. In the 1980s, a relative working in Winnipeg received some promotional materials, such as a hockey stick and Grezki’s transaction cards. Then he passed them on to Gratia. Thus began his 40-year love. “Even as a young collector, everyone picked up all kinds of players and my love was to get as many Gretzky cards as I could,” he said. “I think it was just the intelligence he had for the game, his game, his finesse.” Hockey souvenirs lining the walls of Aron Grace’s house. (Thanks Aron)
Gratias has indeed been collecting items from other players over the years, including items from Sidney Crosby and Edmonton Oilers player Chris Pronger. But the bulk of his collection was dedicated to Gretzky. “I had Gretzky binding sheets, strictly Gretzky. I think my last count was 2,100, only 2,200 Gretzky sheets,” he said. “The collection was a life story with passion. It was something I liked to do on my break. I also liked to show it off. I liked to brag about it.” Gratias’ favorite items included Gretzy’s Canada Cup jerseys from 1984 and 1987 and an Olympic jersey from 1998. He also had a photo of Gratias Gretzky’s signature holding the Stanley Cup. Gratias said people have shared his story across North America and Europe in hopes of finding some of his collection. “You know, this collection was what is going to be passed on to my children and generations.”