SALT LAKE CITY ( ABC4 ) — A man accused of organized retail theft was arrested in Utah Monday by Utah’s Crimes Against Statewide Economy Strike Force (CASE).
According to the Utah Attorney General’s Office , Manuel Gonzalez is facing theft-related charges after more than $82,000 worth of Home Depot products were allegedly located in his motel room and van. He is accused of stealing products from several Home Depot stores across the state.
“Mr. Gonzalez appears to have been traveling around the country participating in organized retail theft with the intention of reselling the stolen home products,” the press release read.
Attorney General Sean Reyes said his office launched the strike force in 2020 as they noted a rise in organized retail crime with “massive shoplifting organizations” leading to the loss of tens of billions of dollars annually. Reyes called the Gonzalez’s arrest a “win for Utah and neighboring states.”
“I am so proud of our CASE investigative team led by Supervising Special Agent James Russell,” Reyes said. “The Attorney General’s Office is grateful to work with the Department of Public Safety and agencies across Utah who participate on the CASE Strike Force.”