ORO VALLEY, Ariz. (KGUN) — Two local arrests have been made in an organized retail theft operation where millions of dollars worth of merchandise was stolen from businesses in Oro Valley and other parts of Pima, Pinal and Maricopa counties.
Retailers affected include Walmart, Target, CVS, Walgreen's, Fry's and possible Safeway.
The merchandise was then sold to a company based in Connecticut, according to a news release from Oro Valley Police Department.
"They were selling the items, the stolen items, to a business in Connecticut to be sold back to different stores," said the department's public information officer Darren Wright.
OVPD was notified in October of 2023 that a local man, identified as Nicholas Miller, and other co-conspirators were suspected of stealing, then selling the merchandise.
Working with Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Postal Inspectors, in conjunction with the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, it was determined that members of the operation had stolen more than $2.3 million worth of merchandise over the course of three years.
According to OVPD, some of the items included Flonase, Crest Whitening Strips, Oral B Replacement Heads, Rogaine and trading cards.
Miller was suspected of making more than $475,000 in profit as a result, the news release said.
On July 24, a search warrant was served on two homes, a storage unit and three vehicles. Additional warrants were served in Connecticut, the news release said. More than $9,000 in stolen merchandise was recovered along with tens of thousands of dollars worth of collectible items, the news release said.
Miller and suspected co-conspirator Allison Hunt were arrested in connection to the thefts.
Wright said each suspect is facing "almost 40 indictments" and that they're "waiting for the grand jury to complete the indictments."
Some of the charges include:
- Fraud
- Money laundering
- Trafficking stolen goods
- Operating an illegal enterprise
The investigation is ongoing and he says more arrests are expected.
