Organised crime has a new target: the Nike Air Jordan

It’s getting harder and harder to get a pair of Nike Air Jordans to your selected retail outlet safe and sound. Gone are the days of one-off thefts by obsessed sneakerheads, now the theft problem involves criminal networks, from their factories in Asia to their shops in the US.

As the sneaker collection market continues to skyrocket, the brands behind its growth continue to face an increase in theft by organised crime gangs. According to a new report in the Wall Street Journal, sneaker thefts (specifically from Nike) have increased throughout the supply chain, from distribution facilities and storage containers to delivery trucks and selected retailers.

In June this year, the Los Angeles Police Department seized $7 million worth of stolen Nike items in a massive bust. In 2022, Nike suffered another heist at its Memphis facility worth approximately $800,000, which led to a suspension of sales of the then-unreleased Air Jordans at StockX. Not only that, the company has faced repeated organised retail thefts at its shops around the world.

Keith Lewis, the vice president of operations at the theft prevention organisation CargoNet, explained: “The supply chain is under siege at the moment. According to CargoNet, theft throughout the supply chain increased by 63 per cent in the first half of 2023, compared to the same period last year. “The good guys, us, are playing checkers, and the bad guys are playing chess. They are always one or two steps ahead of us.”

According to the report, members of the organised crime gang study retail layouts and create inventory lists. Shop observers then communicate their findings to the shoplifters, directing them to shipping containers containing the desired products. Thieves often collude with insiders in retail and logistics organisations, according to the National Retail Federation.