Source: CHRIS BERNACCHI / Getty
The sneaker reselling game is not be what it used to be just a few years back (everything is bricking these days), but that didn’t stop one man from stealing some very exclusive sneakers from an NBA legend earlier this month in hopes of cashing out bigly.
According to ESPN, a man decided to go for the gusto and broke into the $4.25 million dollar Memphis home of Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway and rolled out with boxes of limited edition Nike sneakers that are said to be rare “Friends and Family” pairs and even 1-of-1’s that could fetch thousands of dollars on the resale market. Luckily police were able to apprehend the suspect this past Thursday (Aug. 22) and announced that 42-year-old Ronald James had been booked and charged with theft of property.
Looking more like January 6th insurrectionist than your everyday sneaker head, James was caught on surveillance video rolling up to Penny’s home with a shopping cart and leaving with boxes stacked up higher than his own height. After police released Jame’s picture which was captured on the surveillance cameras, he was subsequently arrested and booked for the robbery.
ESPN reports:
Hardaway told Memphis TV station WREG this week that 26 pairs of “one-of-kind” Foamposite shoes had been taken from his home.
Nike’s Foamposite line, made famous by Hardaway when he starred for the Orlando Magic in the 1990s, is still popular today. Hardaway and Nike still have a lucrative partnership years after the former NBA All-Star last played in the league.
Last year, Nike released the Nike Air Max Penny 1 Lester Middle School editions to honor Hardaway’s Memphis middle school.
It’s unclear when James will have his first court appearance related to the theft, and his bond has not been set. Police did not say whether they had retrieved the merchandise.
While we don’t know if the man was able to flip the sneakers before his arrest or if they’ve been recovered, one has to wonder how he knew which sneakers to go for and how it was so easy for him to pull off the heist. Penny might have a turncoat in his inner circle. Just sayin.’
What do y’all think of this latest sneaker heist in Memphis? Was it an inside job or did the tattooed white man just know his sneakers? Let us know in the comments section below.