Theft is nothing new in the world of sneakers, as over the last few years, there have been countless stories of Nike and Jordan releases being stolen ahead of launch day. Now, as reported by the California High Patrol, over $200,000 of stolen Air Jordan sneakers, specifically the upcoming Air Jordan 11 Legend Blue, was recovered. Doing some quick math, approximately $200,000 worth of AJ 11 Legend Blues would equate to roughly 870 pairs stolen.
Seven individuals were arrested in connection to the stolen product, which was allegedly stolen from a trainyard in the remote community of Amboy, California, and then driven nearly 200 miles to Anaheim. In a statement, CHP Border Division Chief Tommie Cocroft stated, "The swift actions of our CTIP unit and patrol officers demonstrate CHP's commitment to combating organized cargo theft and ensuring stolen goods are recovered.”
Over the last two years, we’ve seen plenty of Nike and Air Jordan sneakers subject to major heists, with one notable example being the holiday Air Jordan 11 from 2022, the Jordan 11 Cherry. Over $800,000 worth of sneakers and apparel were ransacked from a Memphis, Tennesee trainyard. The LAPD recovered $7 million of Nike sneakers in June 2023.
Retail theft was on the rise in 2023, with theft across the entire supply chain up 63% compared to 2022, according to CargoNet. According to the same company, there was a 46% increase in Q1 2024 compared to Q1 2023, showing that these incidents have only continued to plague the supply chain.
Hopefully, with these pairs recovered, there will be more Jordan 11s for the public to have a chance at once they are released on December 14, 2024. Download the Sole Retriever mobile app for more updates on the latest releases, raffles, and news in the sneaker and streetwear world.
Sneakerhead from South Florida who turned his passion into a career. Concerts, music, trying new restaurants, and catching the latest movies are some of the things I enjoy when not writing for Sole Retriever. Email: nick@soleretriever.com
