They may look like harmless hardware stores outside, but the two Los Angeles County stores are estimated to be stolen from trains, trucks and cargo ships, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
On Wednesday, Police Chief Jim McDonnell announced that the department had removed a massive cargo burglary ring at Montebello and Huntington Park locations in DJ General Tool & Wire. Police said the stolen goods include power tools, electronic bikes and appliances from brands such as Dyson, Milwaukee, Divalt and Makita.
The business owner, Dojoon Park, 41, was arrested on suspicion of accepting stolen property, and the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office intends to file a large number of charges.
Police said millions of dollars worth of stolen goods were found and the owner of the business was arrested.
(Los Angeles Police Department)
“We are fully assessing the crimes he committed and we expect to file charges against him…this will involve the largest state prison sentence,” DIST. Atti. Nathan Hochman said in a press conference.
Authorities say the United Pacific Police Department and the Los Angeles Port Police are working with LAPD to investigate, which helps link cargo theft incident to goods sold in park stores and the goods he sells on the online platform.
“Also remember that theft is not a harmless crime,” MacDonald said. “It affects retailers, distributors, and consumers for all of us. Protecting the integrity of our supply chains is crucial to public safety and economic stability in Los Angeles.”
Hockman said he hopes the busts convey a strong message to people involved in any aspect of theft of goods or those reselling stolen goods: “We will bring you down.”
“If you’re on track right now and thought you could move on and strip Union Pacific or BNSF or any railroad, please be different,” he said. “If you receive these stolen goods, look at your shoulders because the next commodities you’re dealing with will not be the online marketplace, it will be the jail or the jail’s commodities.”
An investigation into DJ General Tool & Wire is ongoing, and police say operation fences are arresting more.
The stolen goods are allegedly stacked in the DJ General Tool & Wire location.
(Los Angeles Police Department)
“From the theft, the stolen supplies…who were eventually transported to the fencing operation, they were easily arrested and prosecuted,” said Alan Hamilton, deputy director of LAPD.
Hawkman said his priority is to combat freight theft and ensure that Los Angeles can maintain its reputation as one of the best port cities for companies bringing goods to the United States.
LAPD said this year it has stolen nearly $4 million in shipments by an organized crime ring, including $2.7 million worth of Bitcoin mining computers.
Detectives say in recent years they have observed how criminals transfer and intercept valuable goods in Southern California, increasing maturity.
Times worker Richard Winton contributed to the report.
