LA hardware stores were front for $4.5 million cargo theft ring: police

Two seemingly normal Los Angeles hardware stores were actually elaborate fronts for a massive cargo theft operation that netted $4.5 million worth of stolen goods ripped off from trains, trucks and cargo ships, police said.

DJ General Tool & Wire’s Montebello and Huntington Park locations served as distribution centers for an organized crime ring that targeted valuable merchandise from across Southern California’s transportation network, according to the LAPD.

The stolen inventory included power tools, e-bikes and appliances from major brands including Dyson, Milwaukee, DeWalt and Makita, investigators told the Los Angeles Times. 4

Store owner Dojoon Park, 41, of Montebello, was arrested on suspicion of receiving stolen property as authorities prepare to file charges that could l