Utah Attorney General’s CASE Strike Force Recovers Over $80k From Suspect in Statewide Home Depot Thefts

SALT LAKE CITY-Yesterday, Utah's Crimes Against Statewide Economy (C.A.S.E.) Strike Force arrested Manuel Gonzalez for multiple thefts across Utah from various Home Depot locations. After serving a search warrant on his motel room and van, agents from the CASE Strike Force recovered over $82,000 in Home Depot products, including electrical outlets, breakers, switches and carbon monoxide detectors. The Utah Attorney General's Office and Utah's Department of Public Safety work together to oversee CASE, a multi-agency joint strike force to combat criminal activity that may have a negative impact on the state's economy.

Mr. Gonzalez appears to have been traveling around the country participating in organized retail theft with the intention of reselling the stolen home products. He was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on multiple theft-related charges. Utah's CASE Strike Force actively works with local agencies and retailers to combat traveling organized retail theft gangs who target businesses and then resell stolen goods.

"In 2020, my office launched the nation's first Crimes Against Statewide Economy (CASE) Strike Force to combat the rise in organized retail crime. Massive shoplifting organizations were costing retailers and consumers tens of billions annually. Many states have followed our leadership, and we are working together to shut down theft and fraud by unlawful commercial enterprises," said Attorney General Sean D. Reyes. "I am so proud of our CASE investigative team led by Supervising Special Agent James Russell. This most recent arrest of Manuel Gonzales who was traveling state to state to steal significant volumes of home building products from multiple Home Depot locations is a win for Utah and neighboring states."

AG Reyes continued, "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. Our partners include Taylorsville Police Department, West Jordan Police Department, the State Bureau of Investigations, Orem Police Department, and American Fork Police Department. We also appreciate the work by investigators from Home Depot, Target, Kohl's, Lowes, and Ulta Beauty for actively working with us to combat this problem."