Posted on 08/23/2025 4:18:16 AM PDT by Libloather
Two seemingly normal Los Angeles hardware stores were actually elaborate fronts for a massive cargo theft operation that netted $4.5 million worth of stolen goods ripped off from trains, trucks and cargo ships, police said.
DJ General Tool & Wire’s Montebello and Huntington Park locations served as distribution centers for an organized crime ring that targeted valuable merchandise from across Southern California’s transportation network, according to the LAPD.
The stolen inventory included power tools, e-bikes and appliances from major brands including Dyson, Milwaukee, DeWalt and Makita, investigators told the Los Angeles Times.
Store owner Dojoon Park, 41, of Montebello, was arrested on suspicion of receiving stolen property as authorities prepare to file charges that could land him behind bars for years.
“We are in the process of fully evaluating the crimes that he has committed, and we anticipate charges being brought against him … that will involve maximum sentences of years of state prison time,” District Attorney Nathan Hochman said at a news conference on Wednesday.
The bust represents the latest strike in an ongoing battle against sophisticated cargo theft operations that have plagued Los Angeles transportation hubs in recent years.
Union Pacific Police and Los Angeles Port Police collaborated with LAPD investigators to connect specific cargo theft incidents to merchandise being sold at Park’s stores and through his online business platforms.
McDonnell emphasized the broader impact of cargo theft beyond the immediate financial losses.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Very interesting criminal minds. Thanks for posting
That number sounds awfully low given the cost of running any business in LA. It's sort of amateurish too. I mean look at the fortunes ripped off by professional corrupticians through the NGO scam.
Apparently LAPD doesn’t post booking photos?
Store owner Dojoon Park, 41, of Montebello, was arrested on suspicion of receiving stolen property as authorities prepare to file charges that could land him behind bars for years.
Reports from multiple Los Angeles news outlets indicate that Dojoon Park, the owner of DJ General Tool and Wire who was arrested for running a cargo theft ring, is a resident of Montebello, California.
While this suggests he is a resident of the United States, his nationality has not been specified in available reporting.
The news coverage focuses on the criminal investigation and his residency in the Los Angeles area:
News outlets consistently identify the suspect as Dojoon Park of Montebello, California, arrested in connection with a large-scale hardware theft operation.
Nationality not mentioned: No reports explicitly state that he is an American citizen. Residency does not guarantee citizenship.
Other search results mention a Korean singer also named Dojoon Park, but this is a separate person and not related to the cargo theft case.
That number sounds awfully low given the cost of running any business in LA
~~~
I wonder why they even landed on any radar.
Does Hunter own any shells or fronts in the area?
Gotta tamp down the competition
Ah, maybe that’s the angle. A couple of guys with hardware stores tried adding to the income by fencing stolen stuff and the competition ratted them out.
I doubt he is the mastermind behind the op. Kinda looks like a child molester.
Dojoon Park ?
The name sounds Korean, but that boy doesn’t look it.
Second Huntington Park mention of the morning.
Definitely looks more burrito than kimchi.
Seems to me this can also be a fed crime of theft from interstate shipment.
He appears to be bi-racial which certainly argues for him being born in the USA, but that might not be so of course.
I went to school with a gal whose mom & dad married in post WWII Japan, her dad was African-American and her mother was Japanese. She was a very nice girl, but complained A LOT about how strict her mom was. Her mother would not let her wear anything red, that was the first step on the road to perdition in mom’s mind.
He appears to be bi-racial which certainly argues
for him being born here, but that might not be so
Other search results mention a Korean singer also named Dojoon Park,
but this is a separate person and not related to the cargo theft case.
What’s that all about?
Is he going by a fake name?
Here’s a top-of-the-line Rockwell table say, complete with stand and full accessories for sale, after it accidentally fell out of the truck transporting it.
Massive cargo theft operation
He’s about to be questioned until the gives name it’s to big of a operation to let slide.
Massive cargo theft operation. He’s about to be questioned
until he names names; it’s too big an operation to let slide.
Right——had to involve a lot of crooks.
Yes wonder how much inside information they received to make the hits?.
......wonder how much inside information they received to make the hits?....
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.