Sheriff’s deputies arrived at the Home Depot in the Camino Real shopping center in Goleta on December 26 after being summoned by the store’s “loss prevention” staff. Deputies were told that employee and Isla Vista resident Aarone Perez had allegedly stolen items from the store on Decemebr 20 and 22. According to a report from Sherrif’s Department spokesman Sgt. Alex Tipolt, Perez allegedly participated in a scheme in which an associate would bring a number of items up to a register. Perez – working at the register – would ring them up and then delete a few from the list of items to be paid for. The associate would then leave with all the items. Home Depot’s computers apparently note such suspicious transaction, prompting anti-theft personnel to look into Perez’s activity.

So far, police have recovered some of the purportedly filched goods at Perez’s Isla Vista residence as well as some that were in Los Angeles with one of the Perez’s friends. These, totaling $2,621, have been returned to the Home Depot.

Tipolt urged anyone with information about the incident to contact Sheriff’s detectives at 681-4150.

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