Up to $30,000 in Star Wars Collectibles Stolen

Scum and villainy have struck the Star Wars memorabilia collection of a man from Vancouver, WA (via KMTR). The collector, Richard Bates, suspects the Sith are at work… or at least, that the thief or thieves have followed the path of the dark side with their decision to rob him of an estimated $30,000 worth of Star Wars goods.

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“I try to use Star Wars in real life, that we can all walk that line, between good and bad,” Bates said in an interview with KMTR. The entire collection, which includes a “mint condition field Millennium Falcon,” is worth around $45,000. That’s a big loss in monetary investment for Bates, but also a big loss in memories.

"“This sounds corny, but when, like, I get home, I like to go see my toys. It makes me happy. It brings me back to my childhood.”"

Bates’s tattoos are one expression of his love for Star Wars that no one can take away. They are a visual reminder to keep the most sacred lessons of Star Wars as his moral compass. “It just reminds me ‘do or do not, there is no try.'” He’ll need that Jedi maxim to guide him in the painful wait for a break in the theft case.

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With The Force Awakens just around the corner and Star Wars is more popular than ever, there is likely a huge market for collectibles from the franchise, ill-gotten or no. Bates can only rely on the Force and hope that the Vancouver police and the general public will be able to restore his precious items to him before they disappear into oblivion.

If you or anyone you know might have information on Bates’s missing goods, contact the Vancouver police at (360) 487-7399.

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