Chicago Man Busted with $1M Sneaker Stash

Chicago’s sneaker underworld just took a big hit, as 26-year-old Erick Lujano Bautista got caught red-handed with nearly $1-million worth of stolen and models. Turns out, his warehouse in the 1500 block of South Western Avenue wasn’t just for storage – it was a goldmine of illegally acquired sneakers.
The Cook County Sheriff’s Organised Retail Crime Unit had reportedly been sniffing around for stolen Nike goods when they stumbled upon Bautista’s sneaker stash. On January 31, they hit the jackpot, raiding the place and uncovering thousands of purloined pairs. Bautista, who was not an authorised distributor of either brand, was taken into custody and later released following a court appearance. Authorities are working with Nike and New Balance to determine the status of the recovered merchandise and track any additional stolen goods.

Sheriff Tom Dart made it clear that his team is cracking down hard on organised retail crime, which isn’t just about flipping sneaker heat – it’s often linked to other shady business. This latest bust brings their grand total of recovered stolen goods to an staggering $4.5 million in just nine months.
‘My office – aided by financial support from Attorney General Kwame Raoul – will continue to aggressively pursue organised retail crime organisations, which have been shown to fund other illegal activity,’ said Dart. Retail theft has become a growing concern in recent years, with sneaker reselling becoming an underground economy of its own. While some hustle for grails in a legitimate way, others – like Bautista – are opting for the five-finger discount route.
For more on how criminal activity is affecting the sneaker industry, make sure to read our complete breakdown,