Police: Theft ring involving officer targeted Home Depot stores
A retail theft ring that a Las Vegas police officer is accused of participating in targeted mostly Home Depot stores across the Las Vegas Valley, netting thousands of dollars in thefts from at least 28 stores since March, arrest records show.
Officer Samuelito Quijano, 34, was arrested Saturday on charges of grand larceny, possession of stolen property, conspiracy to commit burglary and taking part in an organized theft ring. Police did not release specifics of Quijano’s alleged involvement in the theft ring, but police and jail records show five others were arrested in the same case.
They are Kristine Quijano, 30; Ranjit Quijano, 29; Edward Silvestre, 50; Alejandro Delacruz, 40; and Enrico Ronquillo, 41.
A 43-page arrest report for the six defendants shows the retail theft ring was busted on May 2 at 11:30 a.m., when Las Vegas police were called by Home Depot retail crime investigators, who had been investigating multiple cases of theft.
In several of the cases, individuals would fill a shopping a cart with items and walk out of the store without paying. In a recent theft, security personnel detained Silvestre in an attempted burglary at a Home Depot at 7015 Arroyo Crossing Parkway, near Rainbow Boulevard and Warm Springs Road.
“Silvestre also confessed that the crew was involved in theft for profit incidents at numerous retailers across the valley to include scams such as but not limited to purchasing items with stolen credit cards and then returning the items for cash, purchase of one item then theft of a duplicate item to be returned for cash and numerous other scams,” police wrote in the arrest report.
Based on the information provided, police served search warrants at two residences, two vehicles and two storage units on Tuesday, leading to the recovery of “property stolen or purchased fraudulently.”
Police said Ranjit Quijano, Kristine Quijano and Ronquillo “all confessed to their involvement,” according to the report. Delacruz denied involvement in the theft ring “though he acknowledged he was depicted in surveillance video.”
It was unclear if Samuelito Quijano spoke to police investigators in the case or what his relation may be to Ranjit Quijano or Kristine Quijano. Several sections of the arrest report were redacted by police.
Detectives listed 30 thefts investigated in the case — 28 at Home Depot stores, one at a Lowe’s and another at a Seafood City outlet. Each defendant faces numerous similar theft-related charges.
Samuelito Quijano has been employed with Las Vegas police since 2017 and was part of a southwest valley substation’s community policing division.
“Quijano has been placed on suspension of police powers without pay pending the outcome of the criminal and internal investigations,” a Saturday statement from police said.
Contact Glenn Puit by email at gpuit@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GlennatRJ on Twitter.
