Overview

• Attorney General James Uthmeier announced the takedown of a multi-level operation accused of stealing smoke detectors from Home Depot stores across Florida.
• Investigators documented at least 44 thefts across 17 counties, including Duval and St. Johns, with Home Depot estimating losses above $800,000.
• Search warrants recovered about $78,000 in a Hillsborough County storage unit and roughly $300,000 in product at a Houston, Texas warehouse.
• The case was led by the Department of Agriculture’s Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement and assigned to statewide prosecutors Ben Grueschow and Paul Dontenville.
• The seven defendants face felony counts including conspiracy to commit racketeering, organized retail theft, and dealing in stolen property, and officials say they share more than 170 prior charges.