Suspects steal nearly $50K worth of display shoes from OTR shoe store, manager says

CINCINNATI (WXIX) -Three suspects are accused of stealing nearly $50,000 of display shoes from a shoe store in Over-the-Rhine, according to Luke Kern, manager of Sole Bros 513 on Reading Road.

Kern says the owner called him around 4 a.m. to inform him that the store had been robbed. He explains that the suspects did not take the money or the expensive shoes, but the three suspects shown in the video took the shoes on display, meaning they took single shoes.

“I don’t know what their motive was in taking one shoe, not the pair and not the box; you can’t do anything with that; you can’t sell just one shoe. You usually have to sell it with the box,” Kern stated.

Capt. Matthew Hammer with the Cincinnati Police Department says that over the last year, the team has been working on a long-term project to help solve the theft problem in the area.

He explains that one part of the project involves identifying the suspects, and the other involves working with the businesses to increase security and prevent thefts from happening again.

Captain Hammer says businesses in the area can call the Cincinnati Police District One’s office and ask for a security assessment, during which officers will make recommendations for their business.

The police department cannot prevent all of the robberies, but they can make it difficult for suspects to commit the crime, Capt. Hammer explains.

“We certainly never want to see someone try and commit the offense, but if they do try, I would much rather be investigating that attempt, than have a business shut down because it was ransacked on the inside,” Capt. Hammer said.

Police released a quick help guide for business owners:

Leave some interior lights on upon closing
Secure, hide, or remove tablets upon closing
If there is NO safe on-site, take money off-site
If there is a safe, ensure it is bolted down or immovable
Ensure cameras are positioned well (Six feet in height is ideal for identification)

Those who experience a break-in should call police immediately.

Sole Bros 513 remains open despite the robbery. The owner and the manager explain that they hope customers still come in and support them.

Police have not arrested anyone in connection with the robberies. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Cincinnati Police Department’s District One at 513-765-1212 or Crime Stoppers at 513-352-3040.

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