On December 12, 2025, in Queens, New York, District Attorney Katz and New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced the bust of the largest retail theft case in history in the Queens area. A ring that carried out large-scale thefts at “Home Depot” stores in nine states has been dismantled, with stolen goods valued at over $2.2 million.
According to prosecutors, this ring conducted a total of 319 thefts at 128 Home Depot stores, stealing over $2.2 million worth of tools and construction equipment, including lithium batteries, power tools, copper wire, generators, Bluetooth speakers, and roof paint. The stolen items were enough to build an “unspecified number of houses,” and these items were easily resold for profit.
The ring consisted of 13 individuals who were charged with theft and fencing of stolen goods from Home Depot stores in 9 states, including New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Delaware, and Maryland, facing a total of 780 charges. The value of the goods involved exceeded $2 million, with the daily value of stolen goods ranging from approximately $1,800 to nearly $35,000. The mastermind, 52-year-old Diaz, would hold planning meetings as early as 5:30 am in East Elmhurst to discuss the day’s operations.
The group was divided into two teams, with members checking online inventory the night before each theft to target specific stores. Once the plan was set, some members would enter the store to locate items while others remained in the truck acting as lookouts. Diaz would stay in touch using headphones. The stolen goods were transported back to Queens for resale.
Governor Hochul stated that the success of this arrest operation was partly due to New York’s implementation of stricter theft laws, allowing investigators to consolidate cases and escalate misdemeanors to felonies, leading to a “14% decrease in retail theft crime rates in New York City and New York State since the law amendment and funding allocation.”
District Attorney Katz revealed that the defendants committed the crimes during lunch and dinner times, sometimes targeting the same Home Depot store up to four times in a single day. The stolen goods were later resold to consumers through a physical store in Brooklyn or platforms like Facebook Marketplace. The Queens District Attorney’s Office collaborated with state police to crack the case.
Out of the 13 defendants, one is still at large. If convicted, members of this theft ring could face up to 25 years in prison.