$500K In Stolen Train Cargo Found During CoolKicks Warehouse Raid: Police

SANTA MONICA, CA — Authorities recovered about $500,000 in stolen train cargo, including unreleased Nike shoes and clothing, when they raided the Santa Monica warehouse of popular online reseller CoolKicks last week and arrested its CEO, according to police.

Adeel Shams, 34, of Los Angeles, was taken into custody and jailed on suspicion of receiving stolen property, police said.

In a video shared on Reddit, Shams was livestreaming a sneaker auction when police entered the warehouse, according to People. In the video, he asked if the incident was a case of swatting — a false report that prompts a police response.

Detectives discovered over 2,100 pairs of stolen Nike shoes and 150 cartons of Nike clothing while serving the search warrant in the 1700 block of Stewart Street, according to police.

Authorities collaborating on the operation included the Los Angeles Police Department’s Commercial Crimes Division’s Cargo Theft Unit, the Los Angeles Port Police, the Los Angeles World Airport Police and the Union Pacific Railroad Police, as well as the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office’s Bureau of Investigation, according to the department.

CoolKicks released a statement on Friday on Instagram addressing the raid and Sham's arrest.

"Yesterday, the LAPD impounded a small allotment of Nike sneakers that CoolKicks purchased and received within the last 48 hours, alleging that the merchandise was stolen," the statement read. "This news came as a complete shock to our entire team."

According to the company, the CoolKicks leadership team and staff had "no knowledge" or reason to believe the products were stolen and clarified "there have been no allegations whatsoever from law enforcement that any of the products were counterfeit."

The investigation is ongoing, according to police, who said more arrests are expected.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Cargo Theft Unit at 213-486-5920. During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be made to 1-877-527-3247. Those wishing to remain anonymous should call the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477, go to www.lacrimestoppers.org or download the P3 Tips app.