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Aroutine highway stop over an expired license plate resulted in the arrest of an Arizona man and the recovery of several hundred circuit breakers stolen from Home Depots in five states.
Charles Wang, 51, was arrested Sept. 2 by members of the Pro Active Criminal Enforcement (PACE) Team. He was driving along Interstate 70 in Indiana with expired plates and a suspended driver’s license, according to authorities.
PACE officers said they discovered “several hundred electrical circuit breakers” stolen from more than 20 Home Depot stores in Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois and Utah. Several hundred more circuit breakers were found at another location. Investigators believe the stolen merchandise is valued at $70,000.
Wang has been arrested seven times for shoplifting at Home Depot stores all over the country, according to a PACE team spokesman.
Wang, charged with a felony count of racketeering, faces a four-year prison sentence. Authorities claim he systematically stole, and then resold, the circuit breakers to other retailers.

