The Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General’s Organized Retail Crime Unit has made significant strides in its fight against retail crime, filing 60 criminal charges and seizing nearly $500,000 in stolen goods and cash during its first full year of operation in 2025. This announcement highlights the unit’s effectiveness in addressing high-value retail theft and fraud, which contribute to rising costs for consumers.
Launched in the summer of 2024 and reaching full operational capacity last year, the Organized Retail Crime Unit, led by Dave Sunday, has opened over 100 new investigations across 52 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties. The unit collaborates with local, state, and federal partners to tackle organized theft rings, fraudulent returns, and online purchase scams that affect retailers and consumers alike.
Targeting Retail Theft and Fraud
The establishment of this unit was made possible by the enactment of Act 42 of 2023, which introduced a new criminal statute making retail thefts exceeding $50,000 a first-degree felony. Sunday commented on the unit’s achievements, stating that the results demonstrate the effectiveness of coordinated enforcement and indicated that additional investigations are forthcoming as they expand their efforts throughout the Commonwealth.
In 2025, the unit reported seizing nearly $250,000 in stolen merchandise statewide. Authorities assert that the total value of goods that were resold or transferred before recovery could reach into the millions. The Office of Attorney General has also joined the national Gift Card Fraud Prevention Alliance, a coalition dedicated to combating gift card fraud and related retail crimes.
Notable Cases and Expanding Impact
The Organized Retail Crime Unit is staffed by 12 agents and seven attorneys, who are actively pursuing various cases. One significant case involves Eugene Antwi, who has been charged with using stolen credit and debit card information to make more than 200 online orders totaling over $65,000 for high-end liquor at Fine Wine and Spirits stores across 21 counties.
Another prominent case features Charros Montanez, accused of purchasing Apple AirPods and returning counterfeit versions at numerous Walmart stores, resulting in over $20,000 in fraudulent profits. In northeastern and eastern Pennsylvania, two men were charged in a scheme that involved taking over Lowe’s customer accounts, impacting at least 18 stores across multiple counties.
In the south-central region, three individuals faced charges for separate account takeovers at Lowe’s, amounting to over $60,000 in fraudulent purchases. Additionally, Nilson Peralta Rodriguez, an employee at an Amazon distribution center, has been charged with stealing more than $50,000 in merchandise and reselling it in the Reading area.
The unit has also addressed cases involving theft of high-value items, such as Cub Cadet riding mowers valued between $2,000 and $3,000 each, from Tractor Supply and Home Depot stores in Allegheny and Washington counties. In a separate incident, five individuals were charged in a conspiracy to alter video gaming device redemption tickets across six counties, generating illicit profits exceeding $50,000.
As the crackdown on organized retail theft intensifies, authorities expect more arrests and prosecutions as the Organized Retail Crime Unit continues to expand its reach across Pennsylvania.
