Pontiac, MI: Man sentenced for using addicts to steal over $600,000 in merchandise from The Home Depot  Detroit man used drug addicts and homeless people to steal at least $600,000 in merchandise from Home Depot stores in southeastern Michigan over the past 18 months, authorities said. Adelbert Ackerman, also known as Aldelbert Lovett, was sentenced Wednesday in Oakland Circuit Court to four years and six months to 40 years in prison for conducting the criminal enterprise and 18 months each for two first-degree retail fraud offenses. As part of his sentence, Ackerman is also banned from Home Depot. Police first became aware of Ackerman, 46, when, during a November 2014 raid in Detroit, they found stacks of Home Depot merchandise, still carrying price tags, scattered around the address, along with Home Depot store value cards, wrapped in receipts. They first believed the property - stacked in piles totaling $200 - was being exchanged for drugs. detroitnews.com

Tacoma, WA: Nordstrom clerk pleads not guilty to $30,000 theft; blames ORC ring 
A Nordstrom sales clerk accused of stealing nearly $30,000 through false merchandise returns has pleaded not guilty to first-degree theft. The 21-year-old woman was released from custody without bail. The saleswoman began working at the Tacoma department store in June, and it wasn't long before loss prevention officers began monitoring her. In a two-month span, she returned nine items worth $29,333 to the same few credit cards, according to charging papers. Prosecutors allege none of the returns had receipts and some items did not come from Nordstrom. One designer blazer had a price tag of $3,300, and a Prada dress was valued at more than $1,900, prosecutors said. The sales clerk allegedly told police she was approached by a man who runs an Organized Retail Theft ring and asked to participate. She said she was paid $400 to $500 per return. thenewstribune.com

Ripon, CA Police break up large Shoplifting Ring  Ripon police believe they broke up a large shoplifting ring Tuesday night when they arrested five people from the East Bay with thousands of dollars in stolen merchandise. Five people entered a CVS store on West Main Street about 9:30 p.m., split up into smaller groups and shoplifted items from the store, Lt. Steve Merchant of the Ripon Police Department said. Employees recognized what was happening and called police. Officers arrived within minutes and stopped the suspects' vehicle, Merchant said, conducted a search and found more than 200 stolen items, including alcohol, gift cards, clothing, perfume, toiletries, jewelry and makeup worth more than $3,000. recordnet.com

Carlsbad, CA: Theft ring hits Lulu Lemon for $10,000 in merchandise, prompts police pursuit Three women stole about $10,000 worth of workout clothes from Lulu Lemon on Thursday, then were stopped at Westfield UTC mall where one was arrested at gunpoint and two escaped, police said. The two who fled took off in a stolen car and led San Diego police on a pursuit south on Interstate 805. The trio is believed part of an organized theft ring out of Los Angeles, Carlsbad police Lt. Greg White said. He said the woman who was caught is from Los Angeles, and that there has been a recent increase in LA-area criminals targeting high-end shops in North County. sandiegouniontribune.com