One of the largest retail theft rings that hit Home Depot stores across nine states has been busted by New York officials.

If you’ve gone shopping at a Home Depot store in New York in the last few years, you may have noticed that many of the easy-to-steal items available for sale are now locked up and can only be accessed by a store employee.

Home Depot Wappingers Falls, NY

Google MapsWhy Does Home Depot Lock-up Items?

The short answer is that they have long been targeted by theft rings across the country that select a random store and steal millions of dollars in merchandise. Law enforcement agencies have launched numerous investigations into breaking up these theft rings across the country, and it appears that officials in New York have succeeded.

Home Depot theft Ring Busted in New York

New York Governor Kathy Hochul and Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz have announced that 13 individuals have been charged in a 780-count indictment for operating a stolen goods and resale ring that targeted Home Depot locations in New York and eight other states.

Officials stated that the theft ring, which was based in Queens, NY, allegedly stole more than $2.2 million worth of tools and construction equipment during 319 separate incidents at 128 Home Depot locations across the country.

Officials stated that the thefts occurred at stores from August 2024 through September 2025, according to WRGB.

Home Depot Store

Getty ImagesWhat Was Stolen?

According to prosecutors, members of the Queens crew would meet almost every day to plan which stores they would target. Once they had a plan, they would enter the locations and steal various items, including power tools, air conditioners, home construction supplies, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, insulation kits, and paper products.

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Officials stated that the crew would steal anywhere from $1,800 to nearly $35,000 daily.

The stolen merchandise was then resold on Facebook Marketplace or at a storefront located in Brooklyn, NY.

Retail Theft Crackdown at Home Depot

Getty ImagesRetail Crime Crackdown in New York

Following the arrests, Governor Hochul said,

“Our organized retail task force has recovered, including this, almost $4 million, and I’m proud of the work you’ve done. We’ve had 1,200 arrests, 2,200 charges – this happens when people work together for a common cause to let the bad guys know: you do this, you commit the crime, you’ll do the time.”

 

Each of the individuals arrested is facing grand larceny, conspiracy, and criminal possession of stolen property charges.

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