XPost: alt.crime, alt.law-enforcement, sac.politics   
   XPost: talk.politics.guns, talk.politics.misc   
   From: leroysoetoro@americans-first.com   
      
   https://abcnews.go.com/US/14-arrested-largest-home-depot-theft-ring-   
   officials/story?id=124990974   
      
   Authorities in Southern California announced Tuesday the arrest of 14   
   people accused of running what they called the largest organized retail   
   theft operation targeting Home Depot in the company's history, with nine   
   facing felony charges.   
      
   The suspects are allegedly linked to 600 thefts at 71 different Home   
   Depots, with losses exceeding $10 million across multiple Southern   
   California counties, officials said.   
      
   "They basically had been able to pull off over 600 different thefts from   
   Home Depots in the surrounding counties," Los Angeles County District   
   Attorney Nathan Hochman said. "They must have thought life was grand.   
   They've been making millions of dollars, didn't look like anyone was going   
   to stop them."   
      
   Police say David Ahl, who a ran a storefront called ARIA Wholesale in   
   Tarzana, was at the center of the operation. Ahl faces 48 felony counts   
   including conspiracy, organized retail theft, grand theft, receiving   
   stolen property, and money laundering, authorities said.   
      
   He remains in custody at Ventura County jail with bail set at $500,000 and   
   faces up to 32 years in prison if convicted. Attorney information for Ahl   
   was not immediately available.   
      
   Ventura County Sheriff Jim Fryhoff said Ahl's "boosters" would   
   systematically steal expensive electrical components like breakers,   
   dimmers, and switches, sometimes hitting every Home Depot in Ventura   
   County in a single day. The stolen goods were then allegedly delivered to   
   Ahl's business or home in trash bags or Home Depot boxes. The boosters   
   remain in custody at Ventura County jail with bail set at $250,000, police   
   said.   
      
   The investigation also led to the arrest of Ahl's brother-in-law, who   
   allegedly sold stolen merchandise through eBay. Ahl's ex-wife and her   
   boyfriend were accused of running a "nearly identical" fencing operation.   
      
   During searches, investigators seized an estimated $3.7 million in Home   
   Depot property and $800,000 in what they described as "dirty money" from   
   alleged money laundering operations.   
      
   Surveillance footage shown by officials captured suspects in action,   
   including one who allegedly climbed around security measures when Home   
   Depot placed high-value items behind cages and on higher shelves.   
      
   "This wasn't shoplifting. It was a criminal enterprise that allegedly   
   stole millions of dollars, and it was finally stopped here in Ventura   
   County," Erik Nasarenko, the county's district attorney, said in a press   
   conference Tuesday.   
      
   Home Depot Regional Asset Protection Manager Darlene Hermosillo emphasized   
   that organized retail crime affects more than just profits.   
      
   "It's about protecting the well-being and safety of our customers, our   
   associates and the communities in which we serve," she said in a press   
   conference Tuesday.   
      
   The investigation was funded through a state grant program targeting   
   organized retail theft. All defendants remain in custody and pleaded not   
   guilty.   
      
      
   --   
   November 5, 2024 - Congratulations President Donald Trump.  We look   
   forward to America being great again.   
      
   We live in a time where intelligent people are being silenced so that   
   stupid people won't be offended.   
      
   Every day is an IQ test. Some pass, some, not so much.   
      
   Thank you for cleaning up the disasters of the 2008-2017, 2020-2024 Obama   
   / Biden / Harris fiascos, President Trump.   
      
   Under Barack Obama's leadership, the United States of America became the   
   The World According To Garp.  Obama sold out heterosexuals for Hollywood   
   queer liberal democrat donors.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)