Seven people were arrested in Anaheim on Friday after they were caught transporting stolen Nike Jordan shoes worth over $300,000. The suspects allegedly stole the merchandise from a train container in the Mojave Desert community of Amboy, California, before driving nearly 190 miles to Anaheim in a U-Haul box truck.
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) Border Division’s Cargo Theft Interdiction Program (CTIP) tracked the U-Haul truck and a pickup truck connected to the theft. The two vehicles were pulled over at 11:25 a.m., where a search uncovered 1,278 pairs of Air Jordan 11 Retro shoes, valued at approximately $311,832. Officers also found burglary tools that were believed to have been used in the theft.
The suspects were booked into the Orange County Jail on felony charges of grand theft and possession of stolen property. Three of the suspects, identified as Bryan Quintero-Echarravia (18), Bernardo Romeroquintero (34), and Olegario Flores (26), are facing charges that could result in up to three years in state prison if convicted.
CHP Border Division Chief Tommie Cocroft praised the efforts of the CTIP unit, emphasizing the department’s commitment to combating organized cargo theft. The Orange County District Attorney’s office vowed to prosecute those involved in the theft to the fullest extent of the law.
“This operation is an example of the sophisticated approach law enforcement uses to dismantle organized theft rings, arrest those responsible, and recover stolen goods,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “In our county, it’s a matter of when, not if, you will be caught and held accountable.”