Valley dad, mom, son arrested for allegedly trafficking stolen goods

PHOENIX – A Valley couple and their adult son have been arrested for allegedly trafficking large quantities of items shoplifted from Phoenix-area Home Depot, Lowe’s and Target stores, authorities said Thursday.

“We believe this is one of the largest trafficking of stolen property investigations that we’ve been involved in in recent times,” Sgt. Ann Justus of the Phoenix Police Department told KTAR News 92.3 FM.

Dagoberto Valenzuela Herrera, 46, Bianca Herrera, 39, and their son Rigoberto Valenzuela, 22, are accused of buying stolen merchandise – “Mostly tools, home improvement items, that kind of stuff,” Justus said – and then selling it off online.

The father was booked on counts of fraudulent schemes/artifices, illegal control of enterprise, and trafficking in stolen property. The mother and son face charges of fraudulent schemes/artifices and illegal control of enterprise

A 6-month investigation yielded more than $21k in cash, 4 vehicle seizures and $10-15k in stolen merchandise. 3 people have been arrested in one of the largest trafficking in stolen property busts in PHXPD history. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/mMwyT1TR8Y

— Phoenix Police (@PhoenixPolice) May 20, 2021

“What we believe was other people throughout the Valley would steal items, and they would bring them to these people,” Justus said.

“These people would purchase the stolen property from the people that stole it and then they would list it for sale on the internet and sell it.”

The suspects posted nearly 10,000 items for sale online since January 2019, Justus said.

Police worked with investigators who work for the retailers on the case, with undercover detectives purchasing some of the stolen goods as part of the process, Justus said.

After probable cause was developed, authorities executed search warrant Wednesday in the area of 75th Avenue and Bethany Home Road in Glendale. Police arrested the suspects and recovered about $21,000 in cash at the time.

“We recovered a lot of stolen property, as well, and we seized four vehicles. … We were able to return a lot of the properties to the entities that they belonged to,” Justus said.

The investigation is ongoing and could result in more charges.

“Our investigators are going to continue to comb through evidence that was recovered with a search warrant and other locations and they’re going to see if there are any additional suspects that will be arrested and any additional charges on the people that we have already arrested,” Justus said.

KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Nailea Leon contributed to this report.

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