A Southern California man and woman are accused of stealing more than $800,000 worth of rented high-value equipment from nearly 200 home improvement stores in a retail theft scheme, according to federal prosecutors.
The 27-year-old Santa Monica man and 25-year-old Los Angeles woman were arrested this week on an indictment that charges them with conspiracy and ten counts of wire fraud. Details about the arrests were not available.
“Organized retail theft has exploded across the country, due in large part to the growth of an online resale marketplace,” said U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. "In this case, we allege the co-conspirators hatched a scheme to rent high-value construction equipment and then fail to return it. They allegedly sold the stolen goods on websites such as OfferUp and Facebook Marketplace."
A group that included the two suspects traveled around the country and stopped at home improvement stores in 23 states, where they rented two types of construction equipment -- jumping jack tampers, used for compacting soil, and vibratory plate compactors valued between $1,500 and $2,000 apiece. Using false identities and fake phone numbers, the group made rental deposits with debit cards, then transported the items in vans and rental trucks, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
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"When a store tried to charge the debit account for the value of the equipment or the penalties incurred, it learned there was insufficient funds to cover the debt," prosecutors said in a statement.
The thefts began as early as March 2022, authorities said. About 480 pieces of equipment were stolen, then posted for sale in online marketplaces, according to authorities.
Details about a court date were not immediately available.
