Local realtor arrested for string of sports card thefts

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Alex Nicholas Harding, 39, a local realtor, was arrested yesterday after allegedly stealing sports cards over 20 times from local Walmart stores; he is also a suspect in other sports card thefts around the state.

A Gainesville Police Department Detective learned about the thefts from a Walmart Loss Prevention Officer (LPO) on November 12; the LPO said that the Butler Plaza Walmart has confirmed six incidents in which Harding allegedly stole sports cards from the store since September 13. The northwest Walmart has confirmed “at least four” incidents since September 18, and the Waldo Road store has confirmed five incidents, but that number is expected to grow to “likely around 20.” The LPO said Harding frequents the Waldo Road store “by far the most.”

The detective reported that Harding is also a suspect in the theft of almost $600 of sports cards from a Walmart in Dunnellon on September 28 and almost $900 of sports cards from a Walmart in Leesburg on October 23. The detective stated that all of the thefts listed above were captured on surveillance video, and “many more (local) charges… are forthcoming” once the LPOs finish reviewing their video evidence.

The LPO provided the detective with Harding’s identity and described his car, a red Honda Civic with a spoiler; the LPO said all the Walmart stores have been “keeping an eye out” for Harding and his car since they learned about the Lake County warrant.

On November 13, an LPO saw Harding’s vehicle enter the parking lot of the Butler Plaza Walmart, and two store employees watched him from the time he got out of his car. He allegedly selected a shopping cart, went straight to the sports card section, and selected a box of Topps basketball cards ($24.99), which he took to the women’s apparel section of the store, where he opened the box and put the packs of cards in his pants pocket before leaving the store without paying for the cards. He was confronted outside the store by an LPO.

Harding was reportedly compliant and returned to the Loss Prevention Office with the LPO and provided his driver’s license to confirm his identity. Gainesville Police Department officers responded and arrested him on the Lake County warrant.

The LPO told officers that the theft that day was a “light” one because their latest shipment had not arrived.

The detective reported that the loss to Walmart is “thousands” of dollars, but the total loss has not yet been determined.

Post Miranda, in response to a question about why he was stealing sports cards, Harding reportedly said, “There’s honestly no explanation. I honestly can’t explain it… I honestly don’t have a valid excuse… I’m honestly glad I got caught because it breaks the pattern. All I can offer is my apologies… It’s like a gambling addiction kind of thing… This is the best thing that can happen, honestly — it was becoming a pattern that had a little bit of a grip on me. This is obviously what I need to turn the corner.”

When asked how many times he had stolen from the Waldo Road Walmart, Harding reportedly said he had no idea and does not “keep track”; when pressed, he said it was at least 10 times, but he wasn’t sure it would be 20.

Harding has been charged with petit theft and engaging in a scheme to defraud; he has also been charged with stealing 20 or more items in at least three incidents over 120 days. He has no criminal history but has an active warrant out of Lake County. Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $50,000 on the first two charges, and bail for the third charge will be set tomorrow.

According to his profile at Realtor.com, Harding moved to Gainesville in 2022 from South Carolina and became a realtor. Before the move, he spent a decade as a youth pastor and three years as an international missionary. He formed his own real estate team this year.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.