The Martin County Sheriff’s Office reported on October 23 that the burglary took place at the warehouse behind Champs Sporting Goods, located in the Treasure Coast Mall in Jensen Beach. The suspects broke in sometime between midnight and 8 a.m. on October 21, stealing hundreds of Nike and New Balance shoes through the hole they cut in the mall’s concrete roof.
“The stolen items weren’t crown jewels, but these shoe thieves clearly invested royal-level time and effort,” the Sheriff’s Office said. “The merchandise was boxed, labeled, tossed off the mall roof, and loaded into a getaway vehicle. As you can see, in their rush, they left quite a few shoes behind.”
Officials estimated the stolen goods were worth $40,000–50,000, and repairs to the damaged roof would cost another $10,000.
At a press conference on October 22, Sheriff John Budensiek said the heist resembled something out of a movie.
“It looks like they took inspiration from Mission: Impossible,” Budensiek said, referencing a high-profile jewel theft in France’s Louvre Museum reported over the weekend.
According to Budensiek, the theft appeared to be the work of an organized crew that traveled from another state to Martin County.
“They didn’t use hand tools — they used power equipment, likely a grinder or electric saw — and managed to carry out this hours-long operation without being detected,” he added.
Police are continuing to investigate and track down the suspects.