Stolen goods worth more than $1 million were found packed into storage units, homes and a warehouse in the South Bay this week as part of a monthslong investigation into a large, organized retail theft ring.
The sting also uncovered a fraud scheme that targeted hundreds of victims who were allegedly coerced into buying gift cards, often from The Home Depot and Lowe’s, and providing the card information to scammers, the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday.
Six suspects were arrested and investigators carried out five search warrants on Oct. 21 in San Jose and Campbell, at homes, storage units, and a warehouse.
SPONSORED
SPONSORED
The sites were used for storage, drop-off, and distribution centers for the stolen merchandise, the sheriff’s office said.
At one home on Banana Grove Lane in South San Jose, investigators found more than a dozen box truckloads of stolen goods from The Home Depot, including electrical wire, switches, light fixtures, and other home improvement products.
“Every room in the home — from closets to hallways — was packed floor to ceiling with stolen goods,” the sheriff’s office said in a news release.
Investigators also found nearly 100 totes filled with bottles of wine that were recovered and returned to Target, many of which are believed to have been stolen.
The bust marks the largest recovery of stolen goods since the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office High Impact Team task force was formed in 2024, officials said.
The investigation began in June, when detectives started tracking retail thefts and uncovered a criminal network operating across the Bay Area and beyond.
The suspects taken into custody this week include Thanh Vo, 23, of San Jose, and Corey Guting, 37, of Milpitas, who allegedly supplied stolen items to Erik Nguyen, 45, of San Jose.
Nguyen also allegedly purchased and resold large quantities of goods from business operators Ye Zhang, 37 of Monterey Park; De Lu, 25, of San Jose; and Yan Wong, 32, of Campbell — who were allegedly acquiring merchandise through a widespread gift card scam.
Zhang, Lu, and Wang allegedly operated online marketplaces, shipping products to buyers across the country.
“This case is one of the most significant takedowns of organized retail crime we’ve seen in Santa Clara County,” said Sheriff Robert Jonsen. “It shows what’s possible when skilled investigators, strong partnerships, and targeted resources come together to protect our communities.”
All six suspects were booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail on suspicion of crimes that include organized retail theft, financial elder abuse, theft by false pretenses, possession of stolen property, and conspiracy.
The sheriff’s office believes there may be additional victims of the scheme. Anyone with information or who believes they may have been a victim is urged to contact investigators at ORT@shf.sccgov.org.
Retailers, including The Home Depot, Target, Lowe’s, and Sprouts are inventorying the recovered property, the sheriff’s office said, and much of it is expected to be returned.
Related Posts:
Santa Clara Hindu Temple Burglarized
Beauty Thieves Arrested, Connected to String of Northern California Thefts
Alleged Home Depot Theft Ring Linked to 200 Thefts
SPONSORED
