Police Arrest Man At Route 17 Home Depot With $4,000 In Stolen Merchandise

A Bronx man with $4,000 in stolen Home Depot merchandise was arrested after he tried making fraudulent returns at the chain's Route 17 store Wednesday, police said.

Detective Eric Larsen went to the Mahwah store and was directed by store security to a Honda Odyssey minivan in the parking lot, said Chief James Batelli.

While Larsen was speaking with Miguel A. Garcia, 46, another man exited the store pushing a shopping cart with what appeared to be "high-priced" items, the chief said. When he noticed Garcia was talking to Laren, he moved the cart to another part of the parking lot and threw a fake Florida driver's license to the ground, Batelli said.

Additional police officers arrived. While Garcia was speaking with Patrolman Devin Gannon, he suddenly turned and ran away; Gannon and Larsen apprehended him a short distance away, Batelli said.

While Gannan and Larsen were chasing Garcia, the other man ran away in the opposite direction; the Mahwah Police K9 Unit responded and tracked the man, who was not found, police said.

In addition to the $4,000 in merchandise, police found $2,000 in cash, $600 in Home Depot credit cards, and several fraudulent drivers licenses, Batelli said.

Garcia was remanded to the Bergen County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail with no 10 percent option, police said. He is on federal probation on previous charges.

The second man is believed to be Hispanic, in mid 30s, about 6 feet tall and weighing 170 pounds, police said.

Police believe the two men belong to a large-scale Home Depot theft ring based in Bronx, New York. Mahwah police detectives are working with New York authorities and Home Depot.

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Photos: Miguel A. Garcia, 46, of Bronx, New York and the merchandise and credit cards police found in his possession. — Mahwah Police Department