N.J. Man Pleads Guilty In Home Depot Theft Ring That Includes Stores In Md.

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) -- A New Jersey man has admitted his role in a multistate theft ring that stole from Home Depot stores.

New Jersey's U.S. attorney's office says Daniel Chalet, 28, of Bloomfield pleaded guilty Thursday to a wire fraud conspiracy charge.

Prosecutors say Chalet conspired with others to defraud about 70 Home Depot stores of more than $470,000 in refunds or store credits.

The stores were in New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Delaware, Maryland, Connecticut and Pennsylvania.

Prosecutors say Chalet and his co-conspirators engaged in a "double dipping" scheme in which they'd fill two carts with identical items, pay for only one cart, and then later remove the second cart from the store using the original receipt.

They would then return the items at a different Home Depot for a refund.

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