Prosecutors in Queens say they have dismantled what they describe as the largest organized retail theft ring ever prosecuted in the borough, after a crew allegedly stole more than $2.2 million worth of merchandise from Home Depot stores across nine states, according to ABC.
Thirteen people were charged in a sweeping 780-count indictment that accuses the group of carrying out 319 thefts at 128 Home Depot locations in New York and eight other states. On some days, prosecutors say, the crew stole as little as $1,800 in goods and as much as nearly $35,000. Authorities said the volume of stolen tools and construction equipment was enough to “build an unknown number of houses.”
Investigators allege the defendants met in Queens to plan their thefts, then split into teams that scouted store inventories online the night before targeting specific locations. The stolen merchandise was transported back to Queens and resold, either through a Brooklyn storefront or on Facebook Marketplace. According to prosecutors, the group sometimes hit the same Home Depot up to four times in a single day, taking breaks for meals in between.
Governor Kathy Hochul and Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced the takedown Thursday. “Since taking office, my highest priority has been driving down crime and keeping New Yorkers safe,” Hochul said, crediting new funding for an organized retail theft task force and tougher laws for helping bring the case together. She said the effort has made New York safer for businesses, workers and shoppers.
Katz outlined the scope of the case, saying, “Thirteen defendants, over $2.2 million in merchandise, 319 incidents of theft, nine states and 128 separate Home Depot stores are the facts alleged, resulting in a 780-count indictment.” She added that her office worked closely with state police to stop the operation.
Hochul said changes to larceny laws allowed investigators to combine multiple thefts, elevating cases from misdemeanors to felonies. “Since we changed the laws and put money behind this effort, retail theft crimes are down 14% in the city and across the state of New York,” she said.
Eleven of the suspects appeared before a judge Wednesday. One defendant remains at large, and the others face up to 25 years in prison if convicted. Katz said the arrests send a clear warning: “The message today is organized retail crime will not go unanswered in this borough.”
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