THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, January 8, 1997 TAG: 9701080346
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JON FRANK, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: 58 lines
Michael Robert Harris' worst fears were realized two weeks ago when a burglar broke into his uncle's house and stole Harris' beloved Dan Marino sports card collection.
The collection contained more than 180 Marino cards and was worth thousands of dollars. But more importantly to Harris, a 34-year-old with mental disabilities, the collection represented his devotion to the Miami Dolphins star quarterback - Harris' hero.
On Tuesday evening, most of the collection was returned to Harris. Chesapeake police returned the items to Harris during a news conference at police headquarters. The collection was recovered thanks to a Crime Line tip received Dec. 28.
``I've been through a living nightmare,'' Harris said breathlessly as he sifted through the box of cards recovered by Chesapeake Detective Bob Lundsford. ``I'm surprised. Very surprised.''
Harris searched in vain Tuesday for the most valuable part of his collection - a signed set of 10 ``Hero Edition'' cards worth thousands of dollars by itself.
``I don't see the Hero Edition, and I am getting nervous, because it is priceless, at least to me,'' Harris said dejectedly as he finished going through the box of cards. ``That is very disappointing, but at least I got a lot of it back.''
Lundsford said police were able to track down the cards when an owner of a sports card shop familiar with Harris' plight called to tell them that someone was trying to sell the collection.
Police recovered the cards late Tuesday afternoon. Lundsford would not identify the suspect other than to say he is a 35-year-old Norfolk man. Lundsford said warrants for the suspect's arrest have been issued. The investigation is continuing.
When news of the theft went out through newspapers, television and the Internet, help for Harris flooded in from around the country. Harris received more than 100 Marino cards, one of them from an 8-year-old boy.
``He sent me his only card of Dan Marino,'' Harris said.
Most of the cards came in locally. About 25 came from the Miami area.
The Dan Marino Foundation sent Harris a game jersey, a golf shirt, 10 football cards and an autographed football.
Harris is hopeful that he will eventually get back the ``Hero Edition'' cards, one way or another. The Dolphins organization, he said, is going to arrange a trip to Florida for him so that Marino, who wears number 13 on his jersey, can sign another set of cards for Harris.
``I want to thank all the people from here and Miami and everywhere,'' Harris said Tuesday. ``And I want to tell parents to let their kids wear number 13. I have met Dan Marino and he is a wonderful human being. He is not only a role model for little kids, he is a role model for me.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by JIM WALKER
Michael Robert Harris was happy to get most of his prized cards
back, during a news conference at Chesapeake police headquarters
Tuesday. Detective Bob Lundsford is at right.