*A pastor who reportedly ran a Retail Crime ring in St. Petersburg, Fla., was tracked down as a result of Home Depot cooperating with an investigation.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Robert Dell, 57, is well known in his community for helping drug addicts via a recovery program at The Rock Community Church and Transformation Center in St. Petersburg. According to prosecutors, the pastor also ran an organized retail crime ring on the side.

In his role as a middleman, Dell allegedly purchased stolen goods from thieves and resold them on eBay. He encouraged participants in his recovery program to steal tools from Home Depot stores and bring them to his home. 

His criminal operation has been going on for at least seven years. Since 2016, Dell allegedly used the eBay account Anointed Liquidator to resell the stolen goods, totaling $3 million in profits from himself. 

A seven-month investigation into the crime ring led to the arrest of Dell and four other people, including his wife and mother, in August. The crew was busted after Home Depot collaborated with Florida law enforcement to crack down on the criminals. 

Pastor Robert Dell from St. Petersburg, FL projected the image of a philanthropist, but prosecutors say he was organizing the theft of millions of dollars of merchandise from Home Depot. pic.twitter.com/ctwGafRcrE

— The Messenger (@TheMessenger) October 10, 2023

In addition to racketeering charges, Dell faces charges of conspiracy to commit racketeering and dealing in stolen property. He’s pleaded not guilty to the charges and was released on bond in late September. 

Dell’s case highlights the challenges law enforcement faces when trying to combat retail crime.

We reported previously that Target is closing nine stores across four states due to rising thefts.

“[W]e cannot continue operating these stores because theft and organized retail crime are threatening the safety of our team and guests, and contributing to unsustainable business performance,” Target said in a statement. “We know that our stores serve an important role in their communities, but we can only be successful if the working and shopping environment is safe for all.”

As CBS News reports, “the closings include three stores in California’s Bay Area; three stores in Portland, Oregon; two in Seattle; and one in New York City,” the outlet writes.

The store closures begin on Oct. 21. After the closures, Target will still have 150 stores.

To prevent organized retail crime at the affected stores, Target added security guards and took other measures, but to no avail, according to CBS News.

READ MORE: Target Closing 9 Stores Due to Theft, Retail Crime | Video

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