Home Depot employee in Hayward arrested in theft of hundreds of thousands of dollars of merchandise
HAYWARD — An employee at a Home Depot store here has been arrested as a suspect in the theft of hundreds of thousands of dollars of store merchandise, authorities said.
The person’s name was not immediately released. The employee was arrested Tuesday at the store at 21287 Hesperian Blvd.
The investigation began March 1 when the California Highway Patrol’s Golden Gate Division Organized Retail Crime Task Force was contacted by Home Depot loss prevention investigators regarding several thefts believed to have been committed by a Hayward store employee.
The employee was suspected of stealing merchandise — mostly assorted tools — while performing after-hours work, the CHP said. The estimated loss suffered by the store exceeded $300,000, the CHP said.
Loss prevention investigators provided the task force with video surveillance of the employee and the vehicle used in several of the incidents.
On Tuesday the task force, with the assistance of CHP officers, executed a search warrant at the employee’s home, in the city of Patterson in Stanislaus County. During the search of the residence, approximately 600 stolen retail items estimated at a value of $80,000 were recovered, the CHP said.
Investigators also seized nearly $90,000 in cash as proceeds from illicit criminal activity. The employee was arrested at the Hayward store and booked at Santa Rita Jail on suspicion of organized retail crime, grand theft, possession of stolen property and conspiracy to commit a crime.
