Fulton County authorities on Monday announced the arrests of three people they say stole $2 million worth of high-end appliances and sold much of their haul on the Internet.
The arrests, announced by District Attorney Paul Howard at a news conference, resulted from a new federally funded burglary task force.
Howard said Joseph Mobbs, 32, Kinneth Devrick, 34, and Tracy Devrick, 37, broke into unoccupied homes that were listed for sale. The trio marketed stolen refrigerators, stoves, dishwashers and microwaves on sites such as Craigslist and Kijiji and took cash for all sales, Howard said.
Posing as buyers, task force members lured the trio to Lowe's in Sandy Springs last week and arrested them in the parking lot. Officers searched their home near Suwanee and found 25 stolen appliances, several stolen vehicles and methamphetamine, police said.
The task force, comprised of law-enforcement agencies throughout Fulton County, cracked the ring thanks to a tip from Sandy Springs resident Shawn Clark. He called police after seeing his stove advertised on a Web site.
"It's hurting people's lives, it's hurting their homes," said Clark, who was re-united with his stove at the news conference.
Sandy Springs Police Chief Terry Sult said major investigations like this one usually start with a concerned resident who "gives us the clue to look in the right direction." Sult urged anyone with information on burglaries or suspicious merchandise to call Crime Stoppers at 404-577-TIPS.
To avoid buying stolen property, Internet shoppers should stay away from items that are drastically underpriced or have no serial number, officials said. Buyers should be wary of sellers who insist on cash, have no receipts or want to do the exchange in a questionable location like a parking lot.
"Do not go out and buy these great deals," Alpharetta Police Chief Gary George said. "If it's questionable, do not do it."
Otherwise, George said, you could end up having your refrigerator seized as evidence and returned to its rightful owner.
The Fulton County District Attorney's Office is offering amnesty until April 2 to people who cooperate in the investigation and turn in stolen property purchased from the suspects.
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