The theft happened in a matter of seconds. Hard to believe—except for a video that captured it all: an exclusive art piece in the form of sneakers was stolen from the Gallery store located on Avenida Presidente Masaryk, in Polanco, Mexico City. The object in question was a pair of Nike-Louis Vuitton sneakers hand-carved from wood, with an estimated value of 1.2 million pesos (around 600,000 USD), created in homage to the iconic Air Force 1 model, as part of a collaboration between Louis Vuitton and the late designer Virgil Abloh.

But what seemed like the perfect crime turned into a police operation that ended with the recovery of the sneakers and the arrest of one of the culprits.

The incident occurred on April 4, 2025, during the Festival of Flowers, an event that brought large crowds to this high-profile commercial area. On social media, journalist Carlos Jiménez reported that the intelligence teams of Mexico City’s Citizen Security Secretariat (SSC-CDMX) located one of the people involved: Sandra “N”, just 18 years old, who was apprehended in Morelos neighborhood, Cuauhtémoc district.

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How was the 1.2 million peso sneaker theft carried out?

A man first entered the Gallery store, pretending to be interested in clothing and other items. While walking around, he took pictures of a standout piece displayed in the VIP room, a glass area where the art piece—an Air Force 1-inspired wooden replica blending Nike streetwear with Louis Vuitton luxury—was exhibited.

While he distracted the store clerk, a woman walked in wearing a denim jacket, a short dress, and a black handbag. In a matter of seconds, she accessed the restricted area, grabbed the wooden sneakers and hid them, partially concealing them with her long hair. She then exited the store without raising suspicion. The entire scene was caught on video, which was later shared on social media as part of a public call to identify the thieves.

👟 A couple stole a pair of 1.2M peso sneakers in Polanco 🏙️ The sneakers, an exclusive Nike Air Force One piece in collaboration with Louis Vuitton, were hidden by the woman while the man distracted the store clerk 🚨 The store is offering 100,000 pesos for any information 💰 pic.twitter.com/p8Gigy6H8Y

— adn40 (@adn40) April 12, 2025

Why are these Nike Louis Vuitton sneakers so expensive?

Because they are a hand-carved wooden art piece, inspired by one of the most iconic designs in modern streetwear: the Nike Air Force 1. This unique item was created as part of a special collaboration between Nike, Louis Vuitton, and Virgil Abloh, who served as the artistic director for Louis Vuitton’s menswear line until his passing in 2021.

Abloh is considered one of the most influential designers of his generation, known for blending the boundaries between art, luxury fashion, and urban culture. His vision made pieces like this not only fashionable but also cultural symbols and collectibles. Although the artist who carved this wooden piece has not been publicly named, it is known to be a one-of-a-kind item, significantly increasing its symbolic and historical value.

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THE 1.6 MILLION PESO SNEAKERS, RECOVERED BY POLICE This is how the stolen @LouisVuitton @Nike sneakers from Gallery Polanco were found @AlcaldiaMHmx Intelligence agents from @SSC_CDMX recovered them and arrested Sandra Bonilla, the woman who took them. They are now at @FiscaliaCDMX pic.twitter.com/K0bTM6f6v9

— Carlos Jiménez (@c4jimenez) April 13, 2025

Reward offered for the thieves

After the robbery, the Gallery store offered a 100,000 peso reward to anyone who could provide information to help identify the suspects. “As this is an art piece that reflects the essence of the sneaker world, its symbolic value to the brand is priceless,” the store said in a statement.

Thanks to public pressure and police investigations, Sandra “N” was located and arrested after several days of monitoring and research.

So far, the second suspect—the man who helped distract the store clerk—has not been apprehended. Authorities are continuing the investigation and have urged the public to submit any additional information that could help locate him.

Statistics and data on LVMH (Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton)

📊 General data on the luxury market

• In 2024, the global luxury goods market was valued at 1.5 trillion euros.
• The specific market for personal luxury goods (fashion, perfumes, watches, etc.) reached an estimated value of 363 billion euros.
• LVMH is the global leader in luxury product sales, with revenues of $59.9 billion in 2022, well ahead of Kering and Richemont.

🌍 Revenue by region

• In 2024, LVMH’s global revenues reached 84.7 billion euros.
• Its market share by region was:
  • Asia (excluding Japan): 28%
  • United States: 25%
  • Europe (excluding France): 17%
  • France: 8%
  • Japan: 9%
  • Other markets: 13%

💼 Business segments

Revenue breakdown by segment in 2024:

• Fashion and leather goods: 48%
• Selective retailing: 23%
• Perfumes and cosmetics: 10%
• Watches and jewelry: 12%
• Wines and spirits: 7%

Revenue by segment (2024, in millions of euros):

• Fashion and leather goods: €41,060M
• Selective retailing: €18,262M
• Perfumes and cosmetics: €8,418M
• Watches and jewelry: €10,577M
• Wines and spirits: €5,862M

💰 Financial performance

• Net profit in 2024: €12.958 billion
• Gross profit: €56.765 billion
• Revenue dropped 1.7% compared to 2023 (when it reached €86.2 billion).

🏬 Global presence

• LVMH operates 6,307 stores worldwide (2024).
• Store distribution by region:
  • Asia (excluding Japan): 2,019
  • Europe (excluding France): 1,254
  • United States: 1,193
  • France: 553
  • Japan: 510
  • Other markets: 778

👥 Workforce and sustainability

• Total global employees (2023): 213,000
• Workforce has grown 176% since 2008 (when they had 77,087 employees).

🏅 Brand value and industry leadership

• In 2024, Louis Vuitton was the most valuable luxury brand in the world, worth $129.9 billion.
• Other LVMH brands in the global top 10:
  • Dior: $11.9 billion
  • Tiffany & Co.: $6.2 billion
• LVMH owns 75 luxury houses, including:
  • Louis Vuitton
  • Moët & Chandon
  • Hennessy
  • Dior
  • Fendi
  • Celine
  • Givenchy
  • Bulgari
  • Loewe, among others.

📈 Historical revenue evolution (in millions of euros)

SOURCE: STATISTA

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