A massive train robbery targeting Nike shoes took place in northern Arizona, marking the latest in a string of similar crimes.
According to the Hualapai Nation Police Department, officers pulled over two vehicles linked to the train robbery. One vehicle, carrying eight people, was stopped, but all occupants fled on foot. The second vehicle led police on an 80-mile high-speed chase, which ended near the California-Arizona state line.
The driver of the fleeing vehicle, identified only as a woman, was arrested along with her male passenger.
This is part of an ongoing crime wave in northern Arizona, where suspects have been reportedly cutting hose lines to trigger a train’s emergency brakes, allowing them to loot shipments. These robberies have resulted in the theft of thousands—possibly millions—of dollars worth of goods. Authorities are continuing their investigation as they work to track down additional suspects.
Last month, a Chicago man was charged with felony theft after authorities uncovered approximately $1 million worth of stolen Nike and New Balance shoes in a warehouse he had sub-leased.
Erick Lujano Bautista, 26, was arrested following an investigation by the Cook County Sheriff’s Office into organized retail crime. Detectives began tracking stolen Nike merchandise in January and ultimately traced the goods to a warehouse on South Western Avenue. Upon executing a search warrant on January 31, investigators found the massive stockpile of stolen shoes.
Bautista, who was not an authorized seller for either brand, was taken into custody and later released pending further legal proceedings. Both Nike and New Balance are now working with law enforcement to determine the status of the recovered merchandise.
The case is part of a broader crackdown by the Cook County Sheriff’s Organized Retail Crime Unit, which has recovered more than $4.5 million in stolen goods over the past nine months. Sheriff Tom Dart reaffirmed his office’s commitment to combating retail theft, emphasizing its connection to other criminal enterprises.
