A thief snatched $500,000 worth of jewelry owned by former NBA superstar Allen Iverson from a Philadelphia hotel, police said.
Christopher Daniel, 21, grabbed a backpack holding the bling from the lobby of the Sofitel Hotel on South 17th Street in downtown Philly around 10:30 a.m. Monday, police said.
Iverson, 44, was not present at the time of the theft, sources told Philadelphia TV station WPVI.
It’s unclear why the former NBA MVP and 11-time All-Star, who led the Philadelphia 76ers to the NBA Finals in 2001, was at the hotel.
Daniel, of North Philadelphia, surrendered to cops on Tuesday after police circulated his photo, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
Sources told the paper Daniel first handed over a Rolex to cops — then directed officers to an apartment where they found the backpack and remaining jewelry.
“As of today, the jewelry that was stolen from Allen Iverson has been found and the suspect has been apprehended,” representatives for Iverson said in a statement to ESPN.
“Allen thanks the Philadelphia Police Department along with the people of Philadelphia for their support in this matter. Thank you.”
Daniel was charged with unlawful taking and receiving stolen property, a felony, and was released on $10,000 unsecured bail, the Inquirer reported.
Iverson — who formally retired in 2013 after last playing in the 2009-10 season — spent the bulk of his career in Philadelphia. Iverson, who also played in Denver, Detroit and Memphis, averaged 26.7 points in his career and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016.