PORTLAND -- An Oregon Ducks fan planning to travel to Pasedena, Calif. for the Rose Bowl was quite upset when he realized someone had broken into his SUV and stolen his game tickets on Christmas Eve.
"It was Christmas eve mass and good things didn't happen after midnight," James Osborne said.
That's when the thief stole Osborne's eight Rose Bowl tickets by breaking into his SUV outside St. Mary's Cathedral in downtown Portland.
But Osborne did have something to be thankful for - the University of Oregon was eager to help any way they could.
"We checked with the university and they've been really cooperative," he said. "They are voiding those original tickets and giving us new ones."
So Osborne will still be able to see the game in Pasadena. But if the thief ends up selling the stolen tickets, the person who buys them will be up for quite a shock when they are barred from entering the stadium.
"With the bar codes they won't be able to use them and that's the thing, I feel bad if someone gets scalped on those tickets," Osborne said.
Osborne's eight stolen tickets were for seats on the 45-yard line, each with a $175 face value.
When it comes to Rose Bowl tickets, only some online re-sellers guarantee them. Experts warn anyone who purchases tickets on Craigslist or an auction site like eBay is just rolling the dice in their race for the roses.
