Florida Secretary of Agriculture Wilton Simpson announced the arrest of two foreign nationals in connection with an organized retail theft ring that caused more than $1 million in losses to Home Depot stores across the United States in what is described as a multi-state organized retail theft investigation.
Simpson said the Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement (OALE) worked with local, state and federal partners to apprehend the thieves.
The incident began on October 3, 2025, after Home Depot Loss Prevention referred the matter to OALE. This inquiry identified a pattern of theft by Lithuanians operating in multiple states.
Investigators said the suspects moved from city to city, targeting multiple home improvement stores over a short period of time. They would purchase expensive battery-powered power tools with overseas Visa debit cards, remove the lithium batteries to make the tools unsellable, and then return the items to other stores for full refunds.
The group’s criminal activities in Florida occurred between September 29 and 30, 2025 in Escambia and Okaloosa counties, resulting in losses in excess of $3,500.
After a thorough investigation led by OALE Special Agents with assistance from the Department of Homeland Security, the suspects were identified as Lithuanian nationals Mantas Brikas and Eimantas Bagdonas. On November 3, 2025, an arrest warrant was issued for one count each of Organized Retail Theft, a second-degree felony under Florida Statutes § 812.015(9)(b).
Florida wasn’t the only state affected. The suspects committed similar crimes in at least nine states, including Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, California, Utah, and Colorado. Home Depot estimates total losses nationwide at more than $1 million.
