Source: Alexander Tamargo / Getty
The sneaker reselling market is one of the most profitable.
One way to increase your profit margin and usually get them for the cheapest price possible is… using a five-finger discount. And that’s exactly what a bunch of Chicagoans are allegedly up to.
Chicago Police is reporting that millions of dollars of coveted sneakers –including Nikes and Yeezys— were found in a warehouse in the city’s West Side, known to house stolen goods ripped from freight trains.
Cops say the kicks were stolen from trains nationwide and then shipped to Chicago for storage. According to CBS News, the robbers would then advertise the goods on social media or within their networks, and desperate buyers would swing by the warehouse to pick up their purchases.
Lyons Police Chief Tom Heroin says the warehouse was home to at least several million worth of goods and wasn’t just limited edition kicks.
“Whether it be Nike products or UGG products or Adidas or Supreme, a lot of massive amounts of property, it’s probably close to $5 million in merchandise, minimum,” said Chief Heroin. “What they would do is they’d commit these cargo thefts, like from Memphis, Tennessee. They’d re-label it, and they would ship it here. They would unpackage it, repackage it, and it’s a 100% markup, because they got it all for nothing.”
Though organized, a crack in the case came after local police caught wind of a cargo theft in the area. Upon further investigation, they were led back to the warehouse unbeknownst to what they’d uncovered after getting a search warrant.
So far, two people have been charged in connection with the uncovered stolen merchandise worth seven figures, and others are under investigation.
