Allen Iverson Robbed Of $500K In Jewelry, Suspect Christopher Daniel Arrested After Surrendering To Police
It has been a difficult week for Allen Iverson and the rest of the NBA family, after the sudden and tragic death of fellow basketball icon Kobe Bryant in a helicopter crash this past Sunday. The week continued to get worse for Ivy, as he was the victim of a significant theft on Monday.
The decorated 76er was in Philadelphia when he was robbed. According to ABC News, the incident occurred Monday morning — at around 10:30 a.m. — at a hotel in downtown Philly. Iverson had entrusted a backpack to one of his friends while they were checking out of the hotel.
Coming to prominence in the late ’90s and early ’00s, Iverson became nearly as famous for his off-court style — which often included expensive chains — as he was for his on-court play. So it should not come as a shock that the bag contained approximately $500,000 worth of jewelry. Surveillance footage showed that the bag was put down on a chair in the lobby of the hotel, and then a man was spotted grabbing the bag and walking out of the lobby.
Although he was in the hotel at the time, the one-time NBA MVP was not present in the lobby as the theft took place. Fortunately, Iverson received good news not too long afterward — the bag had been recovered by authorities with the jewelry still inside. New York Daily News reports that the suspect is 21-year-old Christopher Daniel. He surrendered to authorities only a day after stealing the bag and is now facing several charges of theft.
A spokesperson for Iverson released a statement saying that the bag and its contents were returned to the basketball icon. The statement went on to thank not only the Philadelphia police for quickly resolving the matter, but also the people of the city for getting the word out.
While the robbery incident had a positive resolution for Iverson, the 44-year-old faced down greater turmoil this week. On Tuesday, Iverson penned a heartfelt statement on Instagram following Bryant’s demise. His sentiments echoed those expressed by many players who are struggling to come to grips with the news.
Iverson then revealed a never-before-heard story concerning himself and Bryant, one pertaining to their rookie season. Following a game between their teams in Los Angeles, Bryant picked up Iverson in his car to go to dinner. Afterwards, the rookie Laker asked Iverson what he was doing the rest of the night. Iverson said he had plans to go to the club, and when he asked what Bryant was planning to do, the latter said that he was going to the gym. In his Instagram share, Iverson interpreted this exchange as yet another example of Bryant’s dedication to both basketball, and life.
