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a huge home depot The theft gang running in many states has finally been busted new york city According to authorities, approximately $2.2 million worth of home improvement goods were stolen.
New York authorities announced a massive 780-count indictment on Thursday, charging 13 people with grand theft, conspiracy and criminal possession of stolen property. An alleged thief is still absconding.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said, “Thirteen defendants, over $2.2 million worth of merchandise, 319 incidents of theft, nine states and 128 different Home Depot stores are the alleged facts resulting in a 780-count indictment.”
The most common items stolen were insulation kits, buckets of reflective roof coating, power tools, air conditioners, and smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
“They stole from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Delaware and Maryland,” Katz said.
They stole from Home Depots in those states. They usually parked close to the store’s exit, presumably to allow them to quickly remove their stolen merchandise to a van.
The District Attorney’s Office began investigating the alleged theft ring in June 2024 and discovered an elaborate scheme where approximately $1,800 to approximately $35,000 worth of merchandise was stolen in a single day.
The crew – whose members were based in Queens, the Bronx, Brooklyn and Long Island – met almost daily, where they allegedly raided Home Depot stores depending on what items they saw on the retailer’s website and app.
According to authorities, three or four members of the crew entered separate Home Depot stores as their accused leader, Armando Diaz, 52, of Flushing, instructed members through their earbuds on what to steal and how to steal it.
The alleged thieves hid the stolen goods using a 96-gallon trash can or large pieces of sheeting or plywood as one of them distracted store employees. The operation also included monitoring the store parking lot so that it would not be noticed by the police.
The stolen goods were then sold to black market retailers, known as fences. These fences will order specific items to be stolen so that they can resell them.
“The stolen items were then sold to consumers in Brooklyn storefronts or through Facebook Marketplace,” DA Katz reported.
If convicted, alleged thieves face up to 25 years in prison and alleged thieves face up to 15 years in prison.
Information about Diaz’s legal representation was not immediately clear.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul praised the bust, saying state officials were “stopping organized retail theft rings.”
“Since taking office, my top priority has been reducing crime and keeping New Yorkers safe. Following a surge in retail theft following the pandemic, I created new funds to establish a dedicated retail theft task force and secured stronger laws to hold people who commit these crimes accountable.
“With stronger laws and better support for district attorneys, local police departments and state police, we are stopping organized retail theft rings and ensuring a safer retail environment for business owners, employees and shoppers across New York,” Hochul said in a statement.
This isn’t the first major theft bust at Home Depot this year. In August, Southern California police announced They arrested 14 people They say they were involved in a scheme in which more than $10 million worth of home improvement items were stolen.
Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Detective Kevin Eldredge said, “This was the most activation I’ve ever seen – the sheer number of suspects, the sheer number of crimes.” told vc star In those days. “From the time we started investigating him until we caught him, he never took a day off.”