Suspects Indicted for Stealing Nearly $50,000 in Sneakers That Were Being Shipped to Dick’s Sporting Goods
Just weeks after seven people were arrested in California for swiping over $200,000 worth of holiday Air Jordan 11 releases from a train container, another sneaker heist has taken place, this time in the deserts of Arizona.
Numerous local news reports state that four people were indicted Tuesday after being arrested in December for allegedly stealing thousands of Nike shoes from a BNSF Railway train.
While some reports state that $34,000 worth of shoes were recovered and others place the total closer to $50,000, what’s evident is that the sneakers were originally being shipped to Dick’s Sporting Goods stores. It’s alleged that the thieves hid the stolen sneakers near brush in the northern Arizona desert.
Court documents show that Jimmy Lee Hostmark, Sammy Richard Blake, William Dean Winegardner and Jennifer Diane Jones were indicted Tuesday in the United States District Court for the District of Arizona.
The news comes after a similar, higher-stakes robbery attempt took place in August when three men were thwarted while trying to steal 584 cases of Nike sneakers and 65 additional loose pairs. In total, $347,170 worth of Nike product was recovered following the August heist attempt.
Railway expert Scott Jones told 13 News that these sorts of train robberies are “well-planned” and “well-orchestrated” with thieves scouting containers in advance to determine which trains are carrying high-value items.
“They wait until the train gets out into a more desolate remote area where you have fewer law enforcement and people that could report any type of suspicious activity,” Jones said.
Court documents show that these types of train heists have been on the increase in the last two years and that electronics, tools and footwear are often the most targeted items. The suspects are accused of cutting the train brakes and disrupting signal systems.