Massive Home Depot crime ring pulled off more than 600 SoCal thefts, D.A. says
For years, a sophisticated retail crime ring plundered Home Depots across Southern California, pulling off more than 600 thefts and netting an estimated $10 million worth of merchandise without consequences — until now, authorities said.
On Tuesday, the Ventura County district attorney’s office announced the filing of a 48-count criminal complaint against nine alleged key players in what Home Depot says is the largest targeted theft ring in the business’ history.
The retail crime ring targeted 71 Home Depot locations in Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, sometimes hitting the same stores multiple times a day, prosecutors allege.
Several law enforcement agencies worked together to take down the alleged theft crew through Operation Kill Switch, in which 14 people were arrested Aug. 14, nine of whom have since been charged, authorities said.
The criminal enterprise allegedly was led by David Ahl of Woodland Hills, who faces 45 felony counts, including conspiracy, organized retail theft, grand theft, receiving stolen property and money laundering, prosecutors said. If convicted as charged, he would face up to 32 years in prison.
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-08-26/home-depot-crime-ring-stole-10-million-in-goods-prosecutors-say
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