GPS tracker leads to the arrest of three Arizona men for stealing Nike Air Jordans and trying to sell them in Anaheim

SANTA ANA, Calif. – Three men have been charged with breaking into a BNSF train and stealing more than $300,000 in Nike merchandise while the train was parked in the Mojave Desert and then transporting the stolen goods to Anaheim, according to the OCDA.

On Friday, November 22, 2024, BNSF railway police were notified that the contents of one of their shipping containers containing Nike merchandise had been separated from the train while it was parked near Amboy, California. In an effort to prevent theft, Nike placed a GPS tracker in the shipment of Air Jordan 11 Retro shoes.

Investigators with the California Highway Patrol tracked the GPS tracker to a U-Haul truck in an Anaheim parking lot and found 1,278 Air Jordan 11 Retro shoes valued at $311,832 inside the rental truck. Because the stolen merchandise was transported to Orange County, California law allows Orange County prosecutors to prosecute the case.

Bryan QuinteroEcharravia, 18, of Mesa, Arizona, has been charged with one felony count of grand theft of cargo exceeding a value of more than $400 and one felony count of receiving stolen property.

Bernardo Romeroquintero, 34, of Phoenix, Arizona, and Olegario Flores, 26, have both been charged with one felony count of grand theft of cargo exceeding a value of more than $400, one felony count of receiving stolen property, and one misdemeanor count of possession of burglary tools. They face a maximum sentence of three years in state prison if convicted on all counts.

“Organized theft rings are no match for the sophistication and determination of law enforcement to track down these thieves, arrest them, and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “In Orange County, it’s not a matter of if, but a matter of when you will be caught and you will be prosecuted.”

Deputy District Attorney Dustin Chupurdy of the Gangs/TARGET Unit is prosecuting this case.

Art Pedroza Editor

Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.

See Full Bio