More than $1M worth of stolen Home Depot goods recovered in Katy home, authorities say
A Katy man is in custody after authorities allege he was part of a retail theft ring that stole more than $1 million worth of goods from a Home Depot in Colorado and then sold them out of his home.
Deputies from Harris County Constable’s Office Precinct 5 arrested the man about 5 p.m. on Wednesday near the 1500 block of Hoveden Drive. The man was later identified as Steven Lane Skarritt, 62. Constable Ted Heap confirmed that he is the owner of the home where the merchandise was located.
Heap said that three weeks ago, Precinct 5 began a joint investigation with other law enforcement agents after Home Depot’s loss prevention team in Colorado told authorities that mass quantities of merchandise were being stolen from their stores on a regular basis.
Police tracked a trailer of stolen goods to the home in Katy, which was filled with items worth more than $1 million such as lawn equipment, hardware, tools and light fixtures. Heap said that the man was selling the goods online.
“We have every bedroom that is stuffed with material. Every bedroom is stuffed with power tools -- everything from fishing rods to food savers to power tools,” Heap said. “There appears to be one bedroom that was used for sleeping. The other four rooms were stuffed with merchandise.”
Heap added that the homeowner built a mechanized lift in his home capable of moving heavy equipment. “It was essentially an elevator system used to bring heavy material from the bottom to the upstairs so they wouldn’t have to use the stairs,” Heap said.
Heap said that authorities are not yet certain as to why merchandise stolen in Colorado would be transported to Texas for sale.
“These are organized criminals,” he said. “There was a reason they were moving the goods here, and we’re working to figure out what that reason is.”
He noted that the suspect was likely only one part of a much larger operation.
“In a crime this big, we know there are many people involved. There are middlemen in all of this,” he said. “It’s just a matter of finding out how wide this net goes.”
Skarritt is currently being held at Harris County Jail on multiple felony drug charges. He is scheduled to be in court on Friday, Oct. 30, 2020.
Police tracked a trailer of stolen goods to the home in Katy, which was filled with items worth more than $1 million such as lawn equipment, hardware, tools and light fixtures.
Source: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/ne...worth-of-stolen-Home-Depot-goods-15684992.php
A Katy man is in custody after authorities allege he was part of a retail theft ring that stole more than $1 million worth of goods from a Home Depot in Colorado and then sold them out of his home.
Deputies from Harris County Constable’s Office Precinct 5 arrested the man about 5 p.m. on Wednesday near the 1500 block of Hoveden Drive. The man was later identified as Steven Lane Skarritt, 62. Constable Ted Heap confirmed that he is the owner of the home where the merchandise was located.
Heap said that three weeks ago, Precinct 5 began a joint investigation with other law enforcement agents after Home Depot’s loss prevention team in Colorado told authorities that mass quantities of merchandise were being stolen from their stores on a regular basis.
Police tracked a trailer of stolen goods to the home in Katy, which was filled with items worth more than $1 million such as lawn equipment, hardware, tools and light fixtures. Heap said that the man was selling the goods online.
“We have every bedroom that is stuffed with material. Every bedroom is stuffed with power tools -- everything from fishing rods to food savers to power tools,” Heap said. “There appears to be one bedroom that was used for sleeping. The other four rooms were stuffed with merchandise.”
Heap added that the homeowner built a mechanized lift in his home capable of moving heavy equipment. “It was essentially an elevator system used to bring heavy material from the bottom to the upstairs so they wouldn’t have to use the stairs,” Heap said.
Heap said that authorities are not yet certain as to why merchandise stolen in Colorado would be transported to Texas for sale.
“These are organized criminals,” he said. “There was a reason they were moving the goods here, and we’re working to figure out what that reason is.”
He noted that the suspect was likely only one part of a much larger operation.
“In a crime this big, we know there are many people involved. There are middlemen in all of this,” he said. “It’s just a matter of finding out how wide this net goes.”
Skarritt is currently being held at Harris County Jail on multiple felony drug charges. He is scheduled to be in court on Friday, Oct. 30, 2020.
Police tracked a trailer of stolen goods to the home in Katy, which was filled with items worth more than $1 million such as lawn equipment, hardware, tools and light fixtures.
Source: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/ne...worth-of-stolen-Home-Depot-goods-15684992.php
