Suspect Jailed After Dozens Of Northern California Retail Thefts, Rearrested For New Theft Hours After Release

CBS Bay Area

April 23, 2026

A man suspected in a series of thefts from home improvement stores in Northern California was released from jail earlier this month, only to be arrested hours later for the same crime, authorities said on Wednesday.

In a statement on social media, the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office said that beginning in December 2025, the suspect targeted multiple Home Depot and Lowe's stores across the county and neighboring counties, walking out of the stores primarily with high-value items such as power tools. It was determined that the suspect, identified as 35-year-old Anthony Vargas, made it a daily routine to steal from the stores in the morning and immediately sell the stolen items to local pawn shops with little to no questions asked, the Sheriff's Office said.

Surveillance video from the stores clearly showed the suspect's unmasked face walking out with merchandise on multiple occasions, while other surveillance video from police showed the suspect bringing the items to different pawn shops.

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