$2.2M Theft Ring Hit 128 Home Depots Across 9 States, Prosecutors Say

By Michael Mashburn From Daily Voice

A Queens-based theft crew is accused of stealing more than $2.2 million in merchandise from 128 Home Depot stores across nine states during a yearlong operation.

Thirteen people were charged in a sweeping 780-count indictment alleging grand larceny, conspiracy, and criminal possession of stolen property, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Thursday, Dec. 11.

The indictment stems from a joint investigation by the Queens DA’s Office and the New York State Police’s Organized Retail Theft Task Force, a specialized unit created through new funding secured in the FY25 state budget.

Prosecutors determined the operation ran from August 2024 through September 2025, during which members of the theft crew allegedly targeted Home Depot stores in New York and eight other states, stealing construction tools, building supplies, power tools, insulation kits, air conditioners, smoke detectors, and other merchandise.

Investigators documented 319 individual theft incidents, with daily hauls ranging from $1,800 to nearly $35,000.

According to Katz, the crew often met daily to plan which stores to hit based on inventory, sometimes striking the same location up to four times in a single day. The stolen items were then sold to alleged black market resellers, known as “fences,” through a Brooklyn storefront or via Facebook Marketplace.

The case began in June 2024, when members of the DA’s Detective Bureau spotted stolen air conditioners during surveillance for an unrelated matter, prosecutors said. From there, the Crime Strategies and Intelligence Bureau worked with State Police to build the case.

Eleven defendants were arraigned Wednesday on charges including first-degree grand larceny, first-degree criminal possession of stolen property, and fourth-degree conspiracy.

One defendant remains at large and another is expected to be arraigned later. If convicted, alleged theft crew members face up to 25 years in prison, while alleged fences face up to 15 years.

Hochul said the takedown highlights the impact of newly strengthened retail-theft laws, including the ability for prosecutors to combine the value of stolen merchandise taken across multiple incidents, a change designed to combat organized theft rings.

“With better support for district attorneys, local police departments and the State Police, we’re stopping organized retail theft rings in their tracks and ensuring a safer retail environment for business owners, staff and shoppers throughout New York,” Hochul said.

Statewide, officials say retail theft has dropped 14 percent year over year in New York City, with similar declines across the rest of the state in 2025. The Organized Retail Theft Task Force and local partners have recovered more than $2.6 million in additional stolen goods separate from this case, Hochul’s office said.