Cellphone video shared by the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office shows a man in a hurry outside a Home Depot on Bird Road in 2023. The footage captures him dumping thousands of dollars’ worth of merchandise into the trunk of a car before taking off.
Investigators say the items stolen during that incident were valued at more than $4,400.
They also say it wasn’t an isolated crime.
“One individual who was going to multiple Home Depots across the county,” said a Miami-Dade detective. He asked us to identify him by his first name, Mike, to not jeopardize ongoing investigations.
According to investigators, the suspect is Lazaro Contreras, a convicted felon accused of repeatedly targeting retailers across South Florida.
The detective shared a photo he says shows Contreras wearing a wig during some of the thefts, as well as video of him driving off from another Home Depot parking lot.
“He would basically go in, make selections, place them into the cart, and then just– out the door,” the detective said.
Court records show Contreras was arrested last summer along with a woman for stealing more than $1,000 in merchandise from a Burlington store. In the arrest report, a detective described Contreras as a “serial booster” — a term used to describe repeat offenders who shoplift for resale and often target multiple retailers.
Just months before that arrest, Contreras had been released from state prison after serving nearly two years for similar crimes, according to Florida Department of Corrections records.
Shopper Jason Jones said he’s seen the impact of organized retail theft firsthand.
“I was a victim when I was working for Home Depot, and they came in and they grabbed everything around. We couldn’t stop them,” Jones said.
Prosecutors say organized retail theft is rarely spontaneous.
“It’s usually very organized,” said Christopher Olowin, an assistant statewide prosecutor. “Rarely do they act alone.”
Olowin is part of Florida’s Retail Theft Special Task Force, a statewide partnership announced by the attorney general in November. The task force gives investigators and prosecutors the ability to work across city and county lines — something officials say is critical when theft rings operate in multiple jurisdictions.
“What our office is focusing on are these organized groups committing crimes all across the state, often across multiple states,” Olowin said.
One recent high-profile case involved the so-called “Beauty Bag Bandits.” Seven people are accused of stealing tens of thousands of dollars in beauty products from retailers throughout Florida and then reselling the items online. All but one of the defendants are currently awaiting trial.
Seven people are accused of stealing tens of thousands of dollars in beauty products. All but one are awaiting trial.
“We’ve seen many operations where people commit the thefts and sell the items to a known fence or pawn shop,” Olowin said. “From there, it gets sold up the line and eventually ends up on platforms like eBay or Amazon.”
Investigators warn that organized retail theft cases can quickly escalate.
“Our office has prosecuted multiple cases where robberies are involved — where employees are being pepper-sprayed, they’re being tased,” Olowin said.
Investigators say the financial impact on retailers is massive and it ends up costing consumers. That’s why Olowin says state lawmakers have taken steps to recover some of that money.
In 2024, the state passed a law requiring judges to order mandatory restitution for anyone convicted of organized retail theft.
Investigators say organized retail theft goes far beyond isolated shoplifting incidents, describing them as coordinated theft rings stealing thousands of dollars’ worth of merchandise at a time — all with one goal: reselling the stolen goods for profit.
The question remains whether tougher laws and broader investigations are enough to deter repeat offenders.
Contreras, for example, is now back behind bars — currently serving an eight-month sentence in county jail following a grand theft conviction tied to the Burlington case and other incidents. He has also been ordered to pay thousands of dollars in restitution.
Since January, statewide prosecutors say their efforts have resulted in 74 years in combined prison sentences for organized retail theft cases and nearly $2 million in restitution orders.
The Florida Retail Federation’s CEO Scott Shalley has praised those efforts in a statement to NBC6, saying:
“Retail theft at all levels is a direct attack on our businesses and communities. Fortunately, we have strong leaders in Florida who have taken a proactive approach to increase protections, strengthen enforcement and promote accountability. Through the statewide task force, key stakeholders join state level leaders and local law enforcement officers to identify trends, develop strategies and increase prevention. We’ve seen the true impact of this effort with the dismantling of several organized retail crime rings in recent months, resulting in safer communities for retail teams, consumers, residents and visitors.”