CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) – A teenager was robbed at gunpoint in Charlotte while trying to sell designer shoes.
A Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer was called to a home on Statesville Avenue just before 10 p.m. on Oct. 2. According to a police report, the teen told was held at gunpoint and the shoes he intended to sell were stolen.
The stolen items were a pair of pink Bottega shoes, and a pair of black Rick Owens shoes. Similar designer styles can sell for thousands of dollars on the resale market.
“Specific brands, specific models that are more coveted than others, those are the things that people are targeting these days,” sneaker expert Kari Daniels said.
Daniels told us in-person sales may bring a good price, but they don’t offer the same protections as certified retailers. Online marketplaces such as StockX and GOAT can help avoid face-to-face meetups and verify items’ authenticity.
For people buying or selling in person, law enforcement recommends choosing a busy, well-lit location—ideally one with security cameras. Some communities have partnered with businesses, including QuikTrip, to provide safe exchange zones.
“If you get somewhere and it doesn’t feel right, it doesn’t feel safe, go ahead and leave,” said Lt. Matthew Winfrey of the Union County Sheriff’s Office. “No deal is worth the risk of something happening.”
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