Deputies with the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office say 33-year-old Anthony Eastman repeatedly stole merchandise from a Sacramento Harbor Freight Tools, walking out and then returning before law enforcement arrived. Employees reported seeing him take goods multiple times in recent weeks, with the cumulative loss estimated at “several thousand dollars.”
Authorities later found Eastman nearby carrying stolen items and alleged drug paraphernalia. A records check revealed he was on probation with three outstanding warrants, and he was taken into custody at the Sacramento County Main Jail, as reported by the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office on their X account.
REPEAT THEFT SUSPECT ARRESTEDEarlier this afternoon, Deputies arrested 33-year-old Anthony Eastman after he entered Harbor Freight Tools, stole merchandise and exited the store. Eastman then returned to the business and stole more merchandise before Deputies were called.… pic.twitter.com/Y3OLvbQ19V
— Sacramento Sheriff (@sacsheriff) February 10, 2026
State law changes raise stakes for repeat shoplifting
Recent state law updates give prosecutors new tools to go after organized retail theft, including rules that let them add up the value of multiple alleged thefts and seek tougher penalties for repeat offenders. As outlined by the California Department of Justice in an information bulletin, those changes include aggregation of losses and enhanced penalties that prosecutors can use when several incidents involve the same suspect or pattern. The official voter guide for Proposition 36 provides the ballot text and details of the penalties enacted by voters.
Store workers say this may be part of a pattern
During a field show-up, a Harbor Freight employee positively identified Eastman, according to deputies, and store staff reported he had been seen stealing from the same location as many as six times in the past three weeks. Those repeated reports, combined with the store’s estimate of several thousand dollars in losses, are the sort of evidence prosecutors can use to aggregate incidents and seek more serious charges under the updated laws aimed at recidivist retail theft.
Where to report tips or suspicious activity
The sheriff’s office asks anyone with information about these incidents to call its non-emergency line at 916-874-5115 or submit tips online. See the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office website for links to the crime reporting portal, inmate information and other resources…