Two individuals have been arrested in connection with a series of thefts involving millions of dollars worth of Nike sneakers in the Mojave Desert. The suspects, believed to be from Mexico, were apprehended by the Hualapai Nation Police Department in Arizona during a traffic stop involving a maroon Chevy Tahoe suspected of being linked to train robberies in the area. Upon stopping the vehicle, eight individuals fled, but stolen Nike shoes were recovered nearby and one male suspect was taken into custody.
In a separate incident, a woman driving a white Toyota 4Runner was also pulled over by police for not yielding to an emergency vehicle. Upon closer inspection, officers discovered evidence tying her to the train robberies. The woman initially complied with police orders but later sped away, eventually crashing near the Arizona-California border after a pursuit. Both suspects, who were found to be in the U.S. illegally, are now detained at the Mohave County Adult Detention Center.
Authorities have observed an uptick in train heists targeting Nike shoes in the region over the past few years, with the Sinaloa Cartel being implicated in several incidents. These criminal organizations have been cutting air hoses on trains to stop them and steal valuable merchandise, posing significant risks of derailment. The stolen goods are often left along railroad tracks for later retrieval and sale online in California.
Nike has not commented on the situation as of yet.
