Ex-Miami Heat security guard charged in massive theft of memorabilia
Federal authorities in Florida said that 62-year-old Marcos Thomas Perez, a retired police officer who spent 25 years with the Miami Police Department, who also worked for NBA security, stole items from the Kaseya Center, the Heat's home arena, by accessing a secured equipment room to take over 400 game-worn jerseys and other items, including a game-worn LeBron James Miami Heat NBA Finals jersey from 2013 that netted him approximately $100,000.
Perez worked for the Heat from 2016 to 2021.
The equipment room had game-worn jerseys and other memorabilia that the Heat intended to display in a future team museum.
That Game 7 jersey sold at a Sotheby's auction in January 2023 for $3.7 million. Over a three-year period, Perez allegedly sold over 100 items, sometimes shipping them across state lines, for about $2 million. Authorities said those items sold were well below the market value.
Authorities executed a search warrant in April on Perez's residence, where they found nearly 300 additional stolen game-worn jerseys and memorabilia. The Heat said those items were indeed stolen from their facility.
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