Police: Pair stole from Lowe’s at least 34 times
For the second time in a little more than a month, police have made arrests in an organized theft ring that repeatedly targeted Lowe’s stores in Las Vegas.
An arrest report for Kyle Lundin, 30, of Las Vegas, and Nicholas James Rogers, 32, states the two are part of a crew that hit Las Vegas Lowe’s stores “no fewer than thirty-four (34) times” from October 2021 to February.
The Metropolitan Police Department said the two were arrested after thieves repeatedly stole tools, blowers, nailers, hammers, a chainsaw, and other construction equipment items.
Police wrote in the pair’s arrest report that they would “enter the store proceeding directly to the tool section then use a cutting instrument to remove cables from display items.”
Sometimes the men would carry the stolen goods out of the store by concealing them in oversized clothing, police said. Other times, police said, they would “blatantly grab items from the shelves and intentionally walk out without any intent to pay for the merchandise.”
Police said Lundin and Rogers then joined with two others to pawn items 147 times from October 2021 to January 2022.
“After being questioned by Pawn Shop Clerks about the merchandise, the crew would cover the items in dirt or make intentional scratches with a sharp instrument, most likely a razor knife to make the items appear to be in used condition,” police said.
Fifty eight tools recovered from pawn shops by police were valued at $13,472. Another portion of the heavily redacted arrest reports lists $9,772 worth of tools stolen by the ring. Police said they connected the men to the crimes through both video surveillance and pawn shop records.
Rogers and Lundin have been booked on multiple counts of suspicion of participating in an organized retail theft ring, burglary of a business and obtaining money under false pretenses. A status check in the case is scheduled for Monday in Las Vegas Justice Court.
This is the second time in a little more than a month that police have made arrests in connection with an alleged retail theft ring targeting Lowe’s stores in the valley. Early last month, police arrested two men and one woman who were ultimately charged in at least 17 similar ripoffs at Lowe’s.
There was no indication that the arrests of Lundin and Rogers are related to the arrests made in May.
Contact Glenn Puit by email at gpuit@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GlennatRJ on Twitter.