Montgomery Man Steals $6K In Months-Long Home Depot Theft Scheme

SILVER SPRING, MD — Authorities have arrested a Silver Spring man they say took part in a months-long theft scheme at a local Home Depot.

Jaime R. Toledo, 51, was charged with multiple counts of theft after stealing approximately $6,300 from the home improvement store on Broadbirch Drive in Silver Spring, according to Montgomery County Police.

Detectives were first made aware of the theft scheme in June of 2019. Loss prevention personnel at Home Depot reached out to them, stating that an individual had made numerous suspicious refunds after almost every purchase. That suspicious activity, Home Depot said, began in February of 2019 and continued through May.

When police identified Toledo as a suspect, they conducted an audit of his purchase history and reviewed Home Depot's surveillance video. Investigators determined that — from Feb. 15 to May 4 — Toledo stole about $6,300 worth of merchandise from the store and then returned the stolen items for a full cash refund.

Authorities say they arrested Toledo on July 31, while attempting to "commit an additional theft at that Home Depot store." What police say they found at Toledo's Silver Spring home may suggest he had been involved in other thefts in the area.

"During the search of Toledo's home, detectives recovered property (valued at approximately $20,000) that indicated Toledo may have been involved with additional thefts in the area," police said. "The investigation into these additional thefts is ongoing."

Toledo was taken to the Central Processing Unit in Rockville, where he was charged with multiple counts of theft and a theft scheme ranging from $1,500 to under $25,000, police said. He was later released after posting a $5,000 bond.

Toledo is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 10.