VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. — Southern California authorities say they uncovered a criminal ring that stole $10 million in merchandise from Home Depot over several years, including 600 thefts this year alone, which the company calls the largest organized retail theft in its history.

Prosecutors say the thieves nabbed high-end electrical merchandise such as circuit breakers and outlets, which the group's leader resold through his electronics business in the San Fernando Valley, the Los Angeles Times reported. The Ventura County district attorney’s office announced this week the filing of a 48-count criminal complaint against nine people that allegedly targeted 71 Home Depot locations across multiple counties, the newspaper reported.

The operation’s alleged leader, 59-year-old David Ahl, faces

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