Nine Arrested in California Cargo Theft Ring Targeting Dollar General, 35 Other Companies

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department arrested nine suspects and seized approximately $7 million in stolen cargo freight along with $1 million in U.S. currency following a two-month investigation into organized cargo theft across Southern California. Dollar General was among 36 companies whose supply chains were targeted by the ring.

Between December 2025 and February 2026, detectives from the LASD Major Crimes Bureau served 13 search warrants across Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties. The suspects were booked on suspicion of grand theft of cargo, money laundering, and receiving stolen property. Their names have not been released, and LASD detectives plan to present the case to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office for filing consideration.

"Detectives seized approximately $7 million of stolen cargo freight and $1 million in U.S. currency," LASD said in a statement.

The scale of what investigators recovered reflects a sophisticated, wide-ranging operation. Among the stolen goods found were Hisense televisions, Sony soundbars, LG microwaves, Canon printers, Milwaukee tools, Craftsman tools, Black and Decker tools, Ring cameras, Mastercool AC units, Pentair pool equipment, golf carts, ATVs, Jellycat plush animals, Axil XCor Pro headphones, Wolff shoes, Style Craft hair clippers, Disney clothing, Monster Energy drinks, Classica Cordials Premium Liquor, and cosmetics.

The 36 victim companies span discount retail, big-box, logistics, and entertainment, including JB Hunt, Amazon, Sony, LG, T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, Dollar General, Family Dollar, Costco, Wolff Shoes, Monster Energy, and Disney. For a company like Dollar General, which relies heavily on consistent freight delivery to stock stores often run by a single associate with limited inventory buffer, disruptions anywhere in the supply chain create immediate gaps on shelves.

The investigation was carried out by several units within LASD's Major Crimes Bureau, including the Organized Retail Crimes Task Force, the Cargo Criminal Apprehension Team, and the Burglary and Robbery Task Force. The task force also worked alongside local law enforcement agencies, other organized retail crime task forces, and federal agencies.

"They operate out of LASD's Major Crimes Bureau and are dedicated to investigating, identifying, and apprehending suspect(s) of organized retail crimes," deputies wrote in a statement.

LASD created the Organized Retail Crimes Task Force in September 2023 specifically to pursue operations of this kind. The current bust is among the larger outcomes of that unit's work in terms of dollar value recovered and number of companies affected.

Anyone with information about cargo theft can contact the Organized Retail Crimes Task Force at ORCTF@LASD.ORG or (562) 946-7270. Anonymous tips can be submitted through L.A. Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS (8477).