SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The Scottsdale Police Department is offering a reward of up to $11,000 after about $600,000 worth of baseball memorabilia was stolen from popular Scottsdale restaurant Don and Charlie's.
The restaurant owner added $10,000 Friday morning to the Silent Witness reward of $1,000, hoping for somebody to come forward.
The burglary happened on Wednesday around 2 a.m. Police said the front glass had been smashed and 34 Hall of Fame autographed baseballs were missing from the trophy case.
The baseballs stolen include ones signed by baseball greats including Hank Aaron, Bob Uecker, Yogi Berra, Willie Mays, Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio.
The burglary came just weeks before the iconic restaurant closes its doors for good.
Owner Don Carson says it's not about the money, it's about the memories behind each of the 34 signed balls.
"Every item in this restaurant, with the exception of the Babe Ruth ball, was given to me personally," he said.
The owner of Free Agent Sports in Paradise Valley, which sells autographed sports memorabilia, says whoever stole the baseballs will have a hard time selling them.
"If someone came into our store right now with a signed baseball of, per se, Mickey Mantle or Yogi Berra, we would ask them for a certificate of authentification, where they got it signed. I usually ask about 10 to 12 questions," he said.
And with police monitoring sites like Craigslist, OfferUp and eBay, the burglar has nowhere to bring them.
Police haven't identified any suspects, and the restaurant does not have security cameras. Carson hopes the hefty reward prompts someone to provide information to help find the baseballs before the restaurant closes for good.
"It is important to me, and I'd like to have my stuff come home," he said.
If you have any information on the case or any of the stolen memorabilia, call the Scottsdale Police Department at 480-312-5000 or Silent Witness at 480-948-6377 to remain anonymous.