JENSEN BEACH, Fla. (WJW) – Florida authorities are searching for suspects who investigators said pulled off an elaborate heist to steal thousands of dollars in shoes from a Martin County mall this week.
According to the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, thieves reportedly cut through Treasure Coast Mall’s concrete roof before dropping into Champs Sporting Goods sometime between midnight and 8 a.m. on Tuesday.
Investigators said the suspects stole hundreds of pairs of Nike shoes, bagged them and loaded up a getaway vehicle parked outside before leaving the scene.
Courtesy of Martin County Sheriff’s Office
Courtesy of Martin County Sheriff’s Office
Courtesy of Martin County Sheriff’s Office
The sheriff’s office shared photos from the scene, showing the square-shaped hole in the roof and several black trash bags and shoe boxes left behind.
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As reported by ABC News, the stolen shoes are worth about $40,000 to $50,000 and roof repairs will cost roughly $10,000.
The sheriff’s office believes that electric tools, such as a grinder or saw, were used to pull off the crime, ABC reported.
“Not quite the Crown Jewels, but it’s clear these sneaker thieves put the same time and effort into their crime,” the sheriff’s department wrote on Facebook, referencing the jewels stolen from the Louvre in Paris over the weekend.
Anyone who may have noticed suspicious activity near the mall early Tuesday morning is asked to reach out to the sheriff’s office at 772-220-7060 or the Treasure Coast Crime Stoppers at 1-800-273-TIPS.
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