Kansas City man accused of stealing Miami Dolphins gear at playoff game against Chiefs
A Kansas City man faces a felony theft charge after being accused of stealing equipment from the Miami Dolphins during the team’s Jan. 13 playoff game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium.
A criminal complaint filed Wednesday by Jackson County Prosecutors said John M. Brown, 30, took media equipment, football gear and clothing that was property of the Miami Dolphins totaling at least $25,000.
Among the items taken were football pads, pants, gloves, shoes, cold weather gear and game film, according to court documents.
In a probable cause affidavit, police said they were dispatched to Truman and Central Avenue on Jan. 14 on a theft report. A representative of the Dolphins met with police and described the theft to officers.
A Dolphins official told police a box truck containing team gear and equipment was broken into. The items stolen were valued at $46,376, the affidavit said.
From surveillance video, police identified a suspect vehicle, a Ford F-150, they believed to be involved in the theft leaving the stadium.
On Jan. 14, police found the truck in the 2000 block of Askew Avenue with items in the bed of the truck that matched the missing equipment.
In the affidavit, detectives said they have conducted surveillance near the same location in relation to Brown’s suspected involvement in other thefts in the Kansas City area.
On Jan. 17, police executed a search warrant at a residence in the 2000 block of Askew Avenue. Inside the residence, the affidavit said, officers found a large aqua green box with Miami Dolphins shoes and other equipment, and a duffel bag with the Dolphins logo with shoes and coats.
Outside the residence, police said they found a metal barrel with what appeared to be burned Miami Dolphins gear.
“I observed a Miami Dolphins logo and a ruminant of what appeared to be the word ‘video’ that had been partially burned, and additionally matching cold weather gear in the ashes that had not burned,” Kansas City Police detective Craig Leach said in the affidavit.
The affidavit said a tactical response team arrested Brown Jan. 24 in a parking garage near the Country Club Plaza. KCPD said officers pinned a truck Brown was in to a concrete wall in the garage as the truck attempted to evade officers.
KCPD said they used less-lethal AR-1 rounds and tear gas to take Brown into custody.
In July 2021, Brown was convicted of felony theft and unlawful tampering in Johnson County.
There is not a court date scheduled for Brown’s March 20 felony theft charge.
This story was originally published March 20, 2024 at 10:01 PM.
