The Miami Heat organization is at the center of what some are calling the largest sports memorabilia heist in U.S. history, after an NBA analyst alleged on national radio that authenticated team collectibles were stolen and sold over an extended period.
“Many, many millions of dollars” in stolen Heat gear
NBA analyst Amin Elhassan broke the news on The Dan LeBatard Show, saying Heat memorabilia—including items from the NBA Finals—was stolen and sold over the course of at least 18 months.
“Authenticated memorabilia stolen from the Miami Heat. Oh really? And sold for many, many, many, many millions of dollars,” Elhassan said.
He added that some of the stolen items included full sets of game-worn jerseys from multiple players, which is extremely rare in the collector world.
“You never see people with this much stuff. Right? You might get a worn jersey, but to get, like, a game-worn full set—NBA Finals? From multiple players?” he said.
Elhassan also claimed that a Miami police officer and an individual with ties to the NBA may be among those involved.
Collectors say items are easy to sell
At Collectors Club in Wynwood, CBS News Miami spoke with sports memorabilia expert Travis Nichols, who explained how the underground market makes it difficult for teams to recover stolen items.
“As technology increases, people are able to sell things much easier than they used to be,” Nichols said.
“It’s not like you have to know a guy. You can go on different marketplaces online or go to in-person shows, show them at your table. It’s really rough because some of the stuff is untraceable when it’s sold.”
“You know jerseys don’t have identification numbers and that’s what makes it really rough for the Heat — the organization — to get their items back.”
Investigation ongoing
The City of Miami Police Department said it currently has no information regarding allegations that an officer may be involved.
The Miami Heat organization stated it cannot comment on an ongoing investigation.
