Two million dollars worth of Nike shoes stolen from US freight train

Business

A’One sneaker – Nike x A’ja Wilson Credits: Nike

Robbers in the US have reportedly stole thousands of Nike shoes worth two million dollars from a freight train traveling through the deserts of California and Arizona last month, according to various media reports.

Some of the nearly 2,000 stolen shoes were not due to hit stores until March 14. They included Nigel Sylvester's new line in collaboration with Air Jordan, as alleged in the original SBC News story based on US court documents. The retail price of these exclusive sneakers is 225 dollars per pair.

Thanks to clever technology, such as tracking devices in the shoeboxes, 11 suspects were caught. They have been charged with possession of stolen goods, but claim innocence and remain in custody, ABC News reports.

The media outlet stated there has been a rise in thefts from freight trains in the US, with the number of cases jumping 40 percent last year to 65,000 nationwide. However, only 1 in 10 attempts results in an arrest. Arizona sheriff's deputy Keith Lewis reports that thieves often strike when trains slow to change tracks.

Last November, a train in Arizona was also robbed after an emergency stop. There, authorities found a white van with 180 pairs of Nikes, worth about 41,000 dollars. There have been at least ten similar robberies since March 2024.

The trade group Association of American Railroads is calling for stricter regulations and more enforcement to combat these thefts.

This article originally appeared on FashionUnited.NL. It was translated to English using AI.

Nike