LA hardware stores were front for $4.5 million cargo theft ring: police

NY Post ^ | 8/22/25 | Ariel Zilber

[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.

[Vaduz]

Making Al Capone proud

[Liz]

lol