‘Shoe Swap’ At High-End Boca Raton Store Nets Felony Charge for Employee

Tayshawn Sullivan (Photo: Palm Beach County Jail)

A Boca Raton man allegedly swapped his own athletic shoes for a far more expensive pair of Prada sneakers by concealing the switch inside a shoebox, then walked out of the store wearing the high-end footwear, according to a report filed in court last week.

Tayshawn Sullivan, 21, an employee at the city’s Neiman Marcus store, was arrested July 21 on a charge of grand theft after loss-prevention staff at the store on West Glades Road detained him and reviewed surveillance video, police said. Sullivan was The value of the luxury shoes was listed as approximately $5,895.

According to the probable-cause affidavit, Sullivan entered the store July 1 wearing silver Asics athletic shoes, size 13. Surveillance footage allegedly showed him removing a pair of Prada sneakers from a delivery truck that morning and placing them on a receiving cart. Later that afternoon he entered a stockroom still wearing the Asics, then emerged minutes later in the Prada sneakers, the report alleges. He then was said to have left the building through an employee entrance without attempting to pay for the shoes.

A Prada shoebox containing the silver Asics was later located inside the store. Because of the uncommon shoe size, loss-prevention personnel linked the discarded sneakers to Sullivan, who worked at the location, the report said. According to the report, when questioned by police, Sullivan allegedly admitted verbally to taking the Prada sneakers and provided a written statement. Evidence including the surveillance footage, photographs of the merchandise, a sales receipt and the loss-prevention statement was collected.

Sullivan was transported to the Palm Beach County Jail and later released after posting $5,000 bail.