Source: CHRIS BERNACCHI / Getty

The sneaker resale business isn’t what it used to be a few years ago (it’s all gone up in smoke these days), but that didn’t stop one man from stealing some very exclusive sneakers from an NBA legend earlier this month in hopes of making some serious cash.

According to ESPNone man decided to go for it and broke into the $4.25 million Memphis home of Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway and drove away with boxes full of limited edition Nike sneakers that are said to be rare “Friends and Family” pairs and even 1-of-1s that can fetch thousands of dollars on the resale market. Fortunately, police were able to apprehend the suspect last Thursday (August 22), announcing that 42-year-old Ronald James had been arrested and charged with felony theft of property.

James looked more like a January 6th rioter than your average sneakerhead. He was caught on surveillance footage pulling a shopping cart up to Penny’s house and walking away with boxes stacked higher than he was. After police released a photo of Jame that had been caught on surveillance cameras, he was subsequently arrested and booked for the robbery.

ESPN reports:

Hardaway told Memphis television station WREG this week that 26 pairs of “one-of-a-kind” Foamposite shoes were stolen from his home.

Nike’s Foamposite line, made famous by Hardaway while he starred for the Orlando Magic in the 1990s, is still popular today. Hardaway and Nike continue to have a lucrative partnership, years after the former NBA All-Star last played in the league.

Last year, Nike released the Nike Air Max Penny 1 Lester Middle School editions in honor of Hardaway’s high school in Memphis.

It is unclear when James will first appear in court in connection with the theft, and his bond has not yet been set. Police have not said whether they have recovered the merchandise.

While we don’t know if the man was able to turn the sneakers around before he was arrested or if they were recovered, you have to wonder how he knew which sneakers to grab and how it was so easy for him to pull off the heist. Penny may have a snitch in his inner circle. I’m just saying.

What do you think about this latest sneaker heist in Memphis? Was it an inside job or did the tattooed white guy just know his sneakers? Let us know in the comments below.

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Penny Hardaway’s Memphis Home Robbed of Exclusive Nike Sneakers was originally published on hiphopwired.com