Police raid uncovers stolen TVs, counterfeit Nikes, and thousands more

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By Emily Pritchard - epritchard@abc57.com

Story Created: Jan 10, 2012 at 9:02 PM EDT

Story Updated: Jan 10, 2012 at 9:02 PM EDT

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Police raided two businesses on Tuesday recovering over 2,000 items including stolen property, counterfeit merchandise, and synthetic marijuana. Neighbors to one store said it wasn’t a secret that the counterfeit goods were being sold.

South Bend Police Detective Dominic Zultanski said the investigation into Phillips 66 on Ewing Avenue and the Howard Street Food Mart started after multiple tips came in about the stores selling stolen property.
 
A number of different agencies came together for the investigation including different departments from the South Bend Police, Elkhart Police, and Indiana State Police,
 
Police found so much merchandise on Tuesday that they had to rent a U-Haul and get extra boxes to remove it all from the Howard Street Food Mart.
 
Neighbors who lived nearby said, “You could buy anything there accept food.”
 
SBPD uncovered stolen property including TVs, laptops, iPods, iPads, and cell phones. Police also found what’s believed to be counterfeit goods from recognizable brands like Nike, Ugg, Channel, Gucci, NFL and Major League Baseball Teams.
 
Jasmine Williams lives next door to the Food Mart and she said everything you bought from there was bad quality. Williams said shoes wouldn’t last more than one wear, but you could buy them for cheap.
 
"You could get a belt for three dollars, shoes just 25, was the lowest to get some shoes,” said Williams.
 
Three employees were arrested on Tuesday, one from the Howard Street Food Mart and two from the Phillips 66.
 
SBPD said it’s unknown right now as to if or how the two businesses are connected or who exactly owns them.
 
Police said investigators from all the well-known brands like Nike and others would be coming to confirm that the goods are counterfeit.
 
 
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