Sask. collector whose Gretzky memorabilia was stolen 'overwhelmed' by hockey community's response

Aron Gratias gets emotional talking about the response from the hockey world and the sports collectibles community since his large Wayne Gretzky memorabilia collection was stolen.

In an April 3 social media post, the Emma Lake, Sask., man revealed that autographed jerseys, pictures, pucks and close to 10,000 hockey cards — including 2,200 of Gretzky, some autographed — were stolen from a locked storage container in a rural yard near Shellbrook, Sask., where they were being temporarily stored.

Gratias had been amassing the collection and other hockey collectibles for more than 40 years. He said most of the signed items had been personally autographed for him, including signed photos with Gratias and his family in them.

None of the stolen items have surfaced, but hundreds of people have reached out to him since then, he said.

In an interview with CBC News, a visibly-moved Gratias said "quite a few" major collectors contacted him, offering to give him some of their own memorabilia.

Collectors offered jerseys signed by Gretzky. One person offered replica Stanley Cup rings from the early 1980s that were part of their great-grandfather's collection.

"The support has been unbelievable," he said. "Overwhelming."

Gratias said he couldn't accept the offers.

"Being a major hockey collector myself, I know what these collections mean to people," he said. "And I couldn't do that to somebody else."

Gratias said he isn't sure if Gretzky himself has heard about the theft, but that Gretzky's brothers have reached out to him online. Gratias also said retired NHLer Georges Laraque shared his story on a podcast.

"The hockey world, although it seems very, very large, is quite a small, family-knit community, for sure," Gratias said.

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