The California Highway Patrol (CHP) arrested four individuals in Los Angeles and Orange counties for their involvement in stealing over $300,000 worth of Legos from stores like Target, Home Depot, and Lowe's, and selling them to fences for profit. The suspects were booked on theft and conspiracy charges, and the CHP's retail crime task force, which has been addressing a rise in store thefts, made the bust.
Three individuals are accused of running an organized retail theft ring across 11 Florida counties, stealing over $100,000 worth of merchandise from Home Depot stores by switching barcodes on expensive roof sealers for much cheaper items at self-checkout stations. The group stole 281 buckets of roof sealers in more than 25 theft incidents over three years, affecting multiple counties. The accused face charges of grand theft and scheme to defraud, with the Attorney General emphasizing the state's commitment to dismantling organized retail theft rings.
Three fast-food workers in Tucson, Arizona, have been arrested for allegedly running an extensive theft ring out of the chicken restaurant where they were employed. The investigation, which lasted nearly a year, revealed that the employees were paying known shoplifters for stolen items, which were then resold through their homes and an online marketplace. Thousands of dollars worth of stolen property, including tools, clothing, shoes, diapers, and electronics, were recovered during the execution of search warrants. The suspects have been charged with trafficking in stolen property and the investigation is ongoing.
Florida pastor Robert Dell has been accused of running an organized crime ring centered on selling stolen Home Depot items online. Dell allegedly used his roles as a pastor and director of a halfway house to force people to steal for him, resulting in the theft of merchandise worth over $1.4 million. He has allegedly sold $3 million in stolen items since 2016. Dell's wife and mother have also been named as alleged co-conspirators. Home Depot suspects he operated this scheme for over 10 years, resulting in a loss of over $5 million.
A woman is demanding the return of her mother's remains after learning that her father's body parts were allegedly stolen in a theft ring at the Harvard Medical School morgue. The morgue manager, his wife, and several others were charged with trafficking stolen human remains. The stolen remains were allegedly sold to others, including a man who tanned human skin to create leather. Harvard Medical School expressed its shock and disappointment at the incident, calling it a betrayal of the individuals who donated their bodies to advance medical education and research.
Nine people have been indicted for stealing sports memorabilia worth millions, including six championship belts from the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2015. The thefts date back to 1999 and include World Series rings, jerseys, antique guns, gems, and jewelry. The accused melted down some of the stolen goods and sold the raw metal for hundreds of thousands of dollars. Some items have been returned to their owners, but many are still unaccounted for. The nine indicted face charges including theft of major artwork and conspiracy to dispose of major objects of cultural heritage.
Four individuals, including the manager of the Harvard Medical School morgue and his wife, have been indicted for stealing and selling human remains to a nationwide network of buyers. The group is accused of stealing dissected portions of donated cadavers, including heads, brains, skin, bones, and other human remains, without the knowledge or permission of Harvard Medical School. The stolen remains were sold through websites and cell phones. The indictment did not go into extended detail over what the body parts were purchased for, but did mention how human skin was shipped to a man in Pennsylvania "and engaged in his services to tan the skin to create leather."
