By Sarah Roebuck
Police1
FEDERAL WAY, Wash. — A nationwide retail theft ring was busted by the Renton Police Department.
On June 20, Renton police said officers searched the house of a suspected stolen property trafficker. Detectives had developed a case where it was found the suspect was selling hundreds of thousands of stolen items on eBay. An investigation revealed a 32-year-old Federal Way man was receiving stolen items from multiple shoplifters.
Working with loss prevention personnel, a detective was able to track stolen merchandise to the suspect’s house. The warrant resulted in the arrest of the trafficking suspect, as well as the recovery of an estimated $1.5 million worth of merchandise.
Police said the merchandise included items such as over-the-counter medications, personal care items, laundry detergent, power tools, vacuum cleaners, computer hardware, audio equipment, plumbing fixtures, kitchen appliances, Lego products and printer cartridges.
During the search, detectives found a large quantity of merchandise already packed for shipping and addressed for delivery to buyers all throughout the country.
Police said shoplifting cost retailers $2.7 billion in Washington state alone in 2021, which is the most recent year statistics provided.