These Smash-and-Grabs Are Affecting Your Local Sneaker Spot

Smash-and-grab incidents and large-scale robberies have been all too common in today’s sneakersphere. Criminal activity has plagued the entire supply chain, from local brick-and-mortar boutiques to big-brand warehouses, and even though we’ve just begun a new year, there’s already been reports of two major incidents. The first was another ‘smash and grab’ incident at resale shop HYPE KINGDOM in Los Angeles, where a car was used to smash through the front door and steal an estimated $100,000 in sneakers. The second is an arrest of a suspect by the LAPD who allegedly had $5 million worth of stolen Nike sneakers in his possession.

Team Swoosh are especially feeling the sting of retail theft, as it’s been reported that their East Los Angeles location reported $750,000 in losses over twelve months, and they even shuttered doors to the Portland factory due to rampant theft. It’s not just big brands feeling the heat though, as local stores and boutiques are the ones experiencing the third-degree burns.

In October 2023, Chicago resale shop Flee Club was broken into. A stolen SUV was used to smash through their front door, with  four to five individuals storming the shop and stealing around $100,000 worth of products. This wasn't the first time Flee Club was burgled either. In March 2022, thieves broke in multiple times, stealing around $110,000 worth of product. Following the latest ‘crash-and-grab’ incident, the shop’s co-owner, Darris Kelly, told WGN Chicago: ‘Just devastation, my heart is broke. You put so much time and money into your store, someone just comes in overnight and takes your dream away’.

The Illinois city seemed to be a hotspot throughout the last twelve months, as between October 31 and November 1, 2023, retailers Round Two, Tops and Bottoms, and Boneyard experienced the same ‘crash-and-grab’ attempts. According to Tops and Bottoms, ‘There are several factors contributing to this rise, with one significant factor being the perception that the legal consequences for these crimes are not severe. Some individuals who commit these offences may receive lenient punishments, which can create a sense of impunity and embolden criminals’.

According to CargoNet, a theft prevention and recovery network, a pair of sneakers is at risk of being stolen at any stop during its long journey. During Q3 of last year, CargoNet stated the top targeted locations for theft were truck stops, warehouses and distribution centres. These large-scale theft trends can be seen throughout the sneakerverse, with Nike’s infamous Memphis warehouse acting as a regular target. The most high profile robbery at Team Swoosh’s biggest distribution centre saw over 20 trailers broken into, with thieves making away with $800,000 worth of product, which included the ‘Cherry’ Air Jordan 11s.

The stolen merch hasn’t been long-lost though, with growing reports of police seizing multi-million-dollar stashes of stolen merchandise last year. As a result, it was made clear that these incidents weren’t randomised, with organised crime playing a key role. Toward the tail-end of 2023, the Chicago police busted a warehouse that held an estimated $5 million worth of sneakers and product that was stolen off freight trains. Back in June, the Los Angeles police seized $3 million worth of stolen Nike product, which followed a separate arrest weeks prior of individuals who allegedly stole $750,000 in product from a single Nike store.

The increase in sneaker-related crime is a serious issue that leaves destroyed dreams in its wake. These types of crimes are preventable, and there’s lots that can be done to help support these stores that have been affected. Tops and Bottoms think ‘it would be valuable for the city and law enforcement to engage in open dialogue with small business owners to understand their challenges. By doing so, they can work together to establish more effective laws and provide better protection against criminal activities’. Acknowledgment and more support from the local government would help support both smaller boutique retailers and big brands. Leading up to their Portland store closure, it’s been alleged that Nike offered to pay for more police to help tackle safety and theft concerns at their Portland retail store; however, the local government denied their request.

While brands can lock up tighter than Fort Knox, the booming secondary market and ease of sales makes the risk of thieves getting caught worth it for many across the globe. More pressure should be placed on the secondary market to help combat this issue, and a good example of this was when the Air Jordan 11 ‘Cherry’ was stolen in bulk from Nike’s Memphis location. StockX then stopped all sales of the colourway making it harder for thieves to offload their stolen merchandise. Major platforms can help combat the issue of theft, but where secondary market prices continue to boom, thieves always find ways to shill stolen merchandise.

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