3 Men Charged for Allegedly Operating Organized Theft Ring in Florida

Home improvement stores across Florida have become the target of organized theft rings, and police have arrested three people connected to a years-long string of thefts. Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody’s office announced on Feb. 19 it has filed criminal charges against three men who allegedly operated an organized retail theft ring and stole over $100,000 worth of merchandise from Home Depot stores throughout 11 counties in south and central Florida. The investigation revealed that Vicky Popat, Christopher Abad, and Christopher Eduardo Baglin allegedly operated as a team to switch the barcode labels on expensive roof sealers for less-expensive products. The more expensive product, Henry 887 Tropi-Cool roof sealant, costs between $248 and $445 per unit, the attorney general’s office said. The cheaper product, Henry 345 Pre-Mixed Floor Patch, costs just $9.98 per unit. They conducted the thefts through the self-checkout stations in the stores, prosecutors said....