Thirty-two people are facing more than 200 charges in connection with an investigation into “organized retail theft” that saw hundreds of thousands of dollars in merchandise stolen from Home Depot in Hamilton, Ont., city police say.
The Hamilton Police service launched Project Checkout in response to a 25 percent increase in thefts from Home Depot stores in the city. The four-month probe found that what appeared to be a series of incidents was actually an organized operation, Hamilton police said in a press release.
“Investigators found organized groups were stealing high-value tools and construction equipment from Hamilton Home Depot stores before reselling the items through online marketplaces at prices well below retail,” police said. “In several incidents, offenders threatened violence when store employees attempted to intervene.”…