The California Highway Patrol says the arrests of three men found with Home Depot merchandise Wednesday may help solve thefts from the big box stores stretching from Salinas to Oroville.
The CHP said their big break began when an officer stopped a black Cadillac at 7:25 p.m. Wednesday in Marysville for an expired vehicle registration. During a search of the car, five boxes of Dewalt and Makita drill sets from Home Depot were found.
Officers calling from the scene of the stop discovered that the Yuba City Home Depot had suffered a theft on Tuesday and that an Oroville Home Depot had been hit about one hour before the traffic stop.
The CHP arrested Yeugeniy Ivakhov, 23, and Vlademir Ivakhov, 18, both of Carmichael, and a third man, Andrey Gelis, 19, of North Highlands. The CHP suspects that both the Oroville and Yuba City thefts were carried out by the three men.
In each theft, one man waited outside the store in a get-away vehicle until two other men ran out of the stores with items without paying for the merchandise.
The CHP stated in a press release that the arrests and future investigation will solve Home Depot thefts from as far south as Salinas, where on Nov. 28, Gelis is allegedly linked to a theft. Similar Home Depot thefts have also occurred in Stockton, the CHP said.
KCRA: Three arrested in Home Depot burglary ring
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