In a daring act of theft, Cody Denning found himself on the wrong side of the law after he broke in and stole $22,000 worth of autographed jerseys from Underdog Collectibles in Knoxville. The Knoxville Police Department swiftly took action, arresting Denning and charging him with burglary, theft of property, and vandalism in connection with the incident.
Denning’s plan to pilfer the jerseys unfolded on the evening of May 18. Initially, he visited the store to scope out the valuable memorabilia he would later abscond with. Surveillance footage captured him meticulously examining and rearranging the jerseys around 8:50 p.m. During this visit, he even mentioned his intentions to his wife, setting the stage for his criminal activities later that night.
Under the cover of darkness, Denning returned to the store and shattered the storefront window with a rock, gaining illicit entry to carry out his nefarious scheme. In the early hours of the morning, he made two separate trips to the store, making off with a total of 17 autographed jerseys, each adding to the considerable loss suffered by the store.
Denning’s attempts to sell some of the stolen merchandise were quickly uncovered. He tried to offload two of the jerseys at a local sports retailer, Pro Image Sports in West Town Mall, leaving a trail that law enforcement was able to follow. Additionally, authorities identified him through surveillance footage from his vehicle, which revealed the presence of several hats also reported missing from Underdog Collectibles.
In the aftermath of the burglary, Underdog Collectibles took to social media to enlist the help of the public in locating the stolen jerseys. They appealed to anyone who might come across the jerseys to reach out to them for verification, citing specific serial numbers to aid in identification. By involving the community in their efforts, the store hoped to not only recover the stolen items but also bring the perpetrator, Denning, to justice for his actions.
Despite the monetary losses and the violation of their property, Underdog Collectibles reassured the public that the physical damage to the store was minimal, and, fortunately, no individuals were harmed during the break-in. Their goal now is to prevent any further thefts and to work towards the successful recovery of the stolen merchandise, emphasizing the importance of community support in achieving these objectives.