Two people are facing charges after being accused of buying stolen tools from Home Depot and selling them across Southern California.
The California Highway Patrol Southern Division’s Organized Retail Crime Task Force said after buying the stolen tools, they allegedly sold them at a swap meet in Los Angeles County, KNBC reported.
KTTV said that the pair were the intermediary purchasers as part of a systemic fencing operation.
When investigators searched their home, they recovered more than $600,000 worth of stolen tools, the CHP said on Facebook.
The pair has not been identified, nor have the specific stores from which the tools were allegedly stolen.
The CHP said the investigation continues.
Home Depot’s vice president of enterprise asset protection, Scott Glenn, told USA Today, “Organized retail crime is not isolated theft. It is sophisticated, coordinated criminal activity that puts our associates, customers, and communities at risk. This case demonstrates the impact that strong law enforcement partnerships can have in identifying, investigating, and disrupting these operations.”
© 2026 Cox Media Group
