For their roles in a coordinated retail theft ring that preyed on Home Depot locations throughout Southern California, four men received sentences.
The California Attorney General’s Office claims that the group planned to steal goods from more than 60 Home Depot locations in the counties of Ventura, Orange, San Diego, and Los Angeles.
The following individuals were identified as the thieves:
- Agustin Garfiaz, 28
- Everardo Carillo-Avilez, 42
- Jose Delasancha, 34
- Luis Delasancha, 33
Jose and Luis Delasancha, brothers, would visit Home Depot stores between October 2021 and February 2023 and go straight to the hardware section.
The most costly power tools were being secured by security devices that they unlocked using theft tools, according to the prosecution.
According to court documents, they frequently cleared an entire shelf of goods, put all the tools in a shopping cart, and left the store without paying.
Over the years, the brothers allegedly stole more than $82,000 worth of goods, according to the authorities.
Carillo-Avilez and Garfiaz would purchase the stolen power tools from the brothers and resell them online for a profit.
A 60-count felony complaint was filed against the four men for their roles in the theft scheme, and they were all arrested. Jose Delasancha was sentenced to eight years in state prison after entering a guilty plea to four counts of grand theft, the AG’s Office announced on May 22.
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Luis Delasancha was given a four-year sentence in state prison after entering a guilty plea to four counts of grand theft.
Carillo-Avilez was given two years of felony probation after entering a guilty plea to organized retail theft. Garfiaz was given two years of felony probation after entering a guilty plea to organized retail theft and receiving stolen property.
“At the California Department of Justice, we are fighting organized crime in the field and in the courtroom,” according to Attorney General Rob Bonta. “If you steal from businesses to line your own pockets, we will hold you accountable. I am thankful for my team and all the tireless work that went into this case. We will not tolerate theft that puts our communities and businesses at risk.”
