A massive retail theft ring that boosted $2.2 million in Home Depot merchandise was busted, the Queens District Attorney’s Office announced Thursday.
The ring operated in nine states where the crew allegedly stole more than $2.2 million worth of power tools, construction equipment, building supplies, smoke alarms, air conditioners, laundry detergent, paper towels and other goods in 319 separate incidents at 128 Home Depot locations over a 13 month span. Much of the stolen merchandise was then fenced on the black market.
Investigators said the crew — which was allegedly led by defendant and Queens resident Armando Diaz — would check online inventory the night before to decide which stores to target the next day. The crew would meet at an East Elmhurst parking lot near the Long Island Expressway at 5:30 a.m. every morning before heading to the stores.
“The defendants took breaks for lunch and dinner, sometimes hitting the same Home Depot up to four times in one day,” district attorney Melinda Katz said. “The stolen items were then resold to consumers, through a Brooklyn storefront or on Facebook Marketplace. Working with our partners at the New York State Police, we brought this brazen operation to a halt.
“As alleged, this crew was amazingly coordinated, disciplined, meticulous and dedicated.”
The amount stolen per day ranged from about $1,800 to nearly $35,000 between Aug. 14, 2024, and Sept. 11, 2025.
A total of 13 people are included in the 780-count indictment, with charges including grand larceny, conspiracy and criminal possession of stolen property for operating a stolen goods and fencing ring. One of the defendants has not been located by police, while 11 faced a judge on Wednesday. The 12th will be arraigned at another date. Each faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted.
Along with the arrests and indictments, 14 storage units were seized and eight vehicles were confiscated.
Katz said the New York State Police assisted in the investigation, which began after state police identified a large amount of Home Depot merchandise being sold online in April 2024.
“The message today is organized retail crime will not go unanswered in this borough,” Katz said.
A similar retail theft ring that targeted Home Depot and Lowe’s locations along with rental car companies up and down the eastern seaboard was busted by federal authorities in January 2024. At least 21 of the stores were located in the Eastern District of New York, which covers Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and a swath of Long Island.
