Stolen truck full of $1 million in shoes recovered in Utah, UHP says

BRIGHAM CITY — A semitrailer reportedly stolen out of Oregon filled with 5,800 pairs of shoes worth an estimated $1 million was recovered in Utah.

The Multnomah County Sheriff's Office reported that the semitrailer was stolen out of the Portland area on Sunday, according to the Utah Highway Patrol. Utah Highway Patrol Lt. Lee Perry said the suspects allegedly tried to block the GPS signal the truck was sending out, but the trucking company was able to track it to Utah.

UHP troopers in Box Elder County spotted the semitrailer at a Texaco truck stop in Elwood on Monday. When they found it, the stolen rig was hooked up to a trailer. The trailer was discovered to also be stolen in Portland at a separate location.

Inside the trailer, troopers found thousands of top end Keen brand shoes.

Two men were taken into custody. The driver tried to run away as investigators attempted to put handcuffs on him, but Perry said he was quickly chased down.

Neither had documents to confirm their identities and they gave investigators "some vague information" about how they came to be in possession of the semitrailer and what they planned to do with it, according to the UHP.

Jose Gonzales Pineda, 24, was arrested for investigation of possession of stolen property, resisting arrest and several traffic violations such as having no license and no commercial vehicle license.

Marlon Vasquez, 43, was arrested for investigation of possession of drug paraphernalia and giving false statements to police.

The UHP noted that both were believed to be "undocumented and have extensive criminal histories including aggravated re-entry."