Queens theft ring arrested after stealing .2 million worth of goods from Home Depot.
Authorities have dismantled a significant organized retail theft operation that allegedly stole over .2 million worth of merchandise from Home Depot stores across nine states. The Queens District Attorney’s Office revealed the news, detailing the extensive scope of the operation, which transpired over a 13-month period and involved 319 theft incidents at 128 Home Depot locations.
The operation reportedly focused on high-demand items, including power tools, construction equipment, building supplies, smoke alarms, air conditioners, laundry detergent, and paper towels. The stolen goods were subsequently sold on the black market, with a notable portion being resold through a storefront in Brooklyn or platforms such as Facebook Marketplace.
Investigators indicated that the operation was orchestrated by Armando Diaz, a Queens resident. The crew utilized online inventory information the night before each theft to strategically select target locations. Each morning, members of the crew convened in an East Elmhurst parking lot, near the Long Island Expressway, at 5:30 AM before setting off for various Home Depot stores. Evidence suggested that the thieves even returned to the same store multiple times in one day, sometimes taking breaks for meals.
The scale of the operation was exemplified by the daily theft amounts, which fluctuated between approximately ,800 and nearly ,000 from August 14, 2024, to September 11, 2025. A total of 13 individuals have been indicted in connection to the enterprise, with charges ranging from grand larceny and conspiracy to criminal possession of stolen property. Among them, one suspect remains at large, while 11 appeared in court this week. The twelfth defendant is scheduled for arraignment at a later date. If convicted, each defendant faces the possibility of up to 25 years in prison.
In addition to the arrests, law enforcement seized 14 storage units and confiscated eight vehicles linked to the operation. The investigation was initiated after New York State Police became aware of a significant volume of stolen Home Depot merchandise being sold online in April 2024.
Officials have emphasized a zero-tolerance policy toward organized retail crime in the borough, signaling that such offenses will not go unchallenged. Previous arrests in January 2024 had also targeted a different retail theft ring that operated across multiple states and included thefts from Home Depot and Lowe’s, illustrating a broader trend of organized retail crime in the region.
The efficient collaboration between various law enforcement agencies highlights a concerted effort to combat the rising issue of organized retail theft, which poses substantial challenges not only to retailers but also to communities at large.
