A former Major League Baseball player was left devastated after thieves allegedly broke into his Arizona storage unit and stole nearly $100,000 worth of valuables, including irreplaceable memorabilia collected throughout his professional baseball career.
But the suspects’ alleged attempt to sell some of the stolen merchandise ultimately helped police track them down.
Daniel Johnson, who played for several MLB organizations, and his fiancée, Alison Wysong, were shocked to discover that their storage unit in Phoenix had been burglarized while their home was undergoing renovations.
According to the Phoenix Police Department, the break-in occurred September 27 at a storage facility near 24th Street and Campbell Avenue.
Investigators said the thieves made off with approximately $93,000 worth of belongings, including expensive designer purses, collectible sneakers, laptop computers and numerous pieces of professional baseball equipment.
Among the stolen items were jerseys, jackets, hats, batting gloves, hoodies and other team-issued clothing Johnson had collected during his career with Cleveland, Baltimore, San Francisco and Houston.
While some possessions could be replaced, Johnson said losing the memorabilia was especially painful because each item represented a chapter of his baseball journey.
He explained that the clothing and equipment had accumulated over approximately a decade and that replacing those pieces would be nearly impossible without playing for the same teams again.
The couple had placed their belongings in storage temporarily while renovating their house, never imagining that their valuables could disappear.
Police released surveillance photographs of two suspects on October 8, hoping the public could help identify the men.
Just one day later, investigators got the break they needed.
According to police, the suspects attempted to sell a pair of allegedly stolen shoes at a Phoenix pawn shop.
An employee recognized the men from the police photographs and contacted authorities, setting off a rapid investigation.
Detectives identified the suspects as Daniel Jacob Thompson, 48, and Michael Charles Hummel, 30, both of whom were arrested Friday, October 9.
Investigators subsequently obtained a search warrant and searched a residence connected to the suspects.
Inside, officers discovered several items believed to have been stolen from Johnson’s storage unit, including shoes, laptop computers and professional baseball clothing.
Some of the recovered apparel reportedly displayed Johnson’s name and uniform number, providing investigators with evidence connecting the property to the former MLB player.
But the investigation uncovered another troubling detail.
Police believe the suspects were responsible for burglarizing multiple storage units at the same facility, suggesting Johnson and his fiancée were not the only victims.
Phoenix Police Sgt. Sheree Lee said investigators did not believe Johnson had been specifically targeted because of his baseball career.
Instead, authorities suspect the men were moving through the storage complex and breaking locks to gain access to numerous units.
The arrests brought relief to Johnson and Wysong, who expressed gratitude to investigators and the pawn shop employee whose tip helped crack the case.
Wysong said she hopes the publicity surrounding their experience will also help other burglary victims recover their belongings.
Although police have recovered some of the stolen merchandise, authorities have not confirmed whether all of Johnson’s missing items have been located.
Investigators are continuing to identify additional victims and determine whether the suspects may be connected to other storage facility burglaries in the Phoenix area.
Police have not publicly detailed all potential criminal charges against Thompson and Hummel, and the allegations have not yet been proven in court.
The Phoenix Police Department is asking anyone who believes their storage unit may have been burglarized to contact investigators at 602-262-6151.
For Johnson, the arrests represent an important development, but the loss of personal items collected over years of professional baseball remains difficult to replace.