Late last year, Chicago sneaker store Flee Club was robbed—smash and grab style. An SUV crashed through their front door, and four to five individuals came out and stole north of US$100,000 worth of goods. This marked the sixth time that Flee Club was targeted, however not all at the same location and never via this modus operandi.

The shop’s co-owner, Darris Kelly, said he didn’t know if they would be able to stay open. Another co-owner, Sabrian Sledge, said he couldn’t believe people would go to such lengths to get material items.

Fast forward to today, Darris Kelly and an employee Jerry Walker have been charged with felony theft.

In a major bust, the Cook County Sheriff’s Office seized over US$2.5 million worth of stolen high-end merchandise from a store on the Near West Side.

Sheriff Tom Dart expressed disbelief at the vast amount of luxury goods recovered, including brands like Prada, Lululemon, and Louis Vuitton. The raid, conducted last Tuesday at Flee Club on West Taylor Street, targeted a store allegedly involved in a scheme to knowingly sell stolen goods and even requesting specific items to be stolen.

The scheme was unravled via an undercover operation by officers.

Among the recovered items were unreleased Air Jordan sneakers, which Sheriff Dart confirmed wouldn’t be available for public sale until after the Summer Olympics 2024 held in Paris. The Organized Retail Crime Team traced the stolen merchandise back to thefts from stores and train cars.

The Sheriff’s Office is currently working with retailers to return the stolen goods. Kelly and Walker are scheduled for their next court appearance later this month.

Sources: abc 7 Eyewitness News; WGN News; Sneaker Freaker. Image via WGN.TV

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