Going to the Nike Factory Store for a steal on some sneakers is common among collectors, but one Portland man took the word "steal" a bit too literally.
According to KRON 4, 52-year-old Kelvin Torain Millage is accused of stealing sneakers from the Nike Factory Store Store in Northeast Portland over the course of several months with a total value of over $5,000. KRON 4 reports that Millage told police he's stolen over 800 pairs of shoes from Nike, selling the sneakers after and using the profits to buy drugs.
The stark admission came after Millage was identified as the suspect through the store's surveillance footage and subsequently arrested with three bindles of heroin in his possession.
According to court documents, Millage was involved in several thefts, each time with a higher retail value:
March 27 – Shoes valued at $349.97 stolen
April 3 – Shoes valued at $1,200 stolen
April 4 – Shoes valued at $1,500 stolen
May 6 – Shoes valued at $2,425 stolen
There's no word on exactly how Millage managed to walk out of the Nike Store with thousands of dollars worth of sneakers on multiple occasions, but with 23 felony, 22 misdemeanor and 21 probation violations in the past, he's surely a seasoned criminal. For his most recent crimes, he's charged with five counts of theft and one count each of criminal conspiracy to commit theft and unlawful possession of heroin. Millage is due back in court later this month.
UPDATE 5/23: KRON 4's report suggests that Millage's estimation of having stolen 800 pairs refers to a broader crime spree than the one described above. A report from KPTV says an affidavit puts Millage's estimation of his recent theft at just 20 pairs of sneakers.
