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

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.

“It’s also important to remember that cargo theft is not a victimless crime,” the police chief said.

“It affects retailers, distributors and ultimately all of us consumers. Protecting the integrity of our supply chain is vital to public safety as well as the economic stability of Los Angeles.”

Hochman warned others involved in similar crimes, promising aggressive prosecution for anyone participating in cargo theft or fencing operations — which are illegal businesses that sell stolen merchandise at a discount to a fence, who then resells it to unsuspecting buyers.

The term “fence” is used for someone who buys and sells stolen goods because the person acts as a barrier or middleman between the thief and the final buyer — helping hide the true origin of the goods.

The investigation into DJ General Tool & Wire remains active, with police promising additional arrests as they work to dismantle the entire criminal network.

LAPD Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton made clear that authorities plan to target every level of the theft operation from start to finish.

“All of the individuals that are involved, from the inception of the theft, the provisioning of the theft … the eventual transport to the fencing operation, they are all susceptible to being arrested and charged — and charged vigorously,” Hamilton said.

The hardware store bust adds to LAPD’s growing list of cargo theft recoveries this year. Investigators have already seized nearly $4 million in stolen cargo from organized crime rings, including $2.7 million worth of bitcoin-mining computers.

Detectives report observing increasing sophistication in how criminals target and intercept valuable goods moving through Southern California’s vast transportation infrastructure.

The dual-location operation allowed the theft ring to process and distribute massive quantities of stolen merchandise while maintaining the appearance of a normal hardware retail business.