As a kid, it's happened to nearly all of us: You bring a fresh new Spalding to a pick-up game, only to have it jacked the same day. Sidney Crosby knows the feeling. The Canadian Olympic hero had his stick, gloves, and the game-winning puck stolen after he scored the OT winner in the gold-medal game. But he's not the only pro athlete to get robbed—other greats such as Michael Jordan, Derek Jeter, and Lance Armstrong have fallen victim to sticky-finger bandits. (eBay, anyone?) So, as the investigation for Sid the Kid's equipment continues, let's look back on a brief history of athletes who've had their gear jacked...
MICHAEL JORDAN (1990)
JACKED GEAR: MJ had his jersey stolen from his locker room on Valentine's Day 1990, and had to wear #12 for one game.
COMPLEX SAYS: You should already know the history of switching digits.
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EMMITT SMITH (1994)
JACKED GEAR: After winning the Super Bowl, the MVP had his helmet stolen during the post-game celebration.
COMPLEX SAYS: With the help of a local radio station, the helmet was returned weeks later with no questions asked or charges filed. Didn't Michael Irvin have a coke problem back then? We're just sayin'...
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DEREK JETER (2002)
JACKED GEAR: Jeter got jacked for his bat and glove...by his own teammate, Rubén Rivera. The items taken from his locker were later sold for $2,500.
COMPLEX SAYS: Rivera, who was under a one-year, $1-million dollar contract, was unsurprisingly released. Losing out on a milli for $2,500? Yeah, that's an epic fail.
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SIDNEY CROSBY (2005)
JACKED GEAR: After winning the World Junior Hockey championship over Russia, Crosby's jersey was stolen.
COMPLEX SAYS: Jacked twice in only a few years? C'mon son, you starting to look like Yung Berg right about now.
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JOHN TERRY (2006)
JACKED GEAR: After a Champions League victory over Barcelona, the Chelsea captain returned to his dressing room to find his custom Umbro soccer boots were gone.
COMPLEX SAYS: Had to have been an inside job. Grimy back-stabbing among teammates? Something JT knows all too well about.
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HOUSTON COUGARS FOOTBALL TEAM (2009)
JACKED GEAR: Last season, during post-game celebrations of Houston's win over Texas Tech, field-rushing fans stole the helmets of three Cougars.
COMPLEX SAYS: Despite the coach's plea (via Twitter) for the helmets return, they were never recovered—though the video evidence above did surface. The plot thickens...
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MIRJAM OTT, OLYMPIC SWISS CURLING TEAM (2010)
JACKED GEAR: After arriving in Winnipeg to prepare for this year's Olympics, thieves broke into the rental car of the Swiss curling team and took the uniform of the team's skip.
COMPLEX SAYS: The items were never returned. To the culprit, we speak for sports fans around the world when we say: What the fuck is your problem?
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