CHICAGO – A Chicago man was arrested last week after investigators reportedly discovered about $1 million worth of stolen Nike and New Balance shoes in a warehouse he had sub-leased. Erick Lujano Bautista, 26, has been charged with felony theft.
What we know:
The charges follow an investigation by the Cook County Sheriff’s Office into a warehouse storing a large number of suspected stolen Nike shoes. In January, Organized Retail Crime investigators discovered that stolen Nike shoes were being kept at a warehouse in the 1500 block of South Western Avenue. The space was found to be sub-leased by Lujano Bautista.
On Jan. 31, investigators executed a search warrant at the warehouse, recovering approximately $1 million worth of stolen Nike and New Balance shoes.
According to the sheriff’s office, Bautista was not an authorized seller of either brand and was charged accordingly. On Sunday, Bautista appeared in court for the first time and was released pending further proceedings. Both Nike and New Balance are working with sheriff’s investigators to determine the status of the remaining merchandise.
