TUCSON, Ariz. — A multiagency investigation into an organized retail theft operation resulted in two arrests July 24. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Oro Valley Police Department and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) are investigating this case.
“Organized retail crime hurts not just the retailers but also U.S. economy,” said HSI Arizona Special Agent in Charge Fransisco B. Burrola. “Thieves that participate in this kind of crime and their ill-gotten gains will be sought after by HSI and our partner agencies; we will not tolerate this kind of law breaking activity that only negatively impacts our communities.”
The case began when the Oro Valley Police Department was notified in October 2023 of a local man who was selling stolen merchandise to a company based in Connecticut. The stolen goods had been obtained through retail theft.
HSI, the Oro Valley Police Department and the USPIS worked in partnership with some of the involved retailers to gather evidence of the operation, which was believed to have been occurring for over three years. The suspect, Nicholas Miller, and other co-conspirators are suspected of stealing over $2.3 million in merchandise from various retailers in Oro Valley and in Pima, Pinal and Maricopa counties. Miller allegedly sold the stolen merchandise to a retailer based in Connecticut. Miller is suspected of making over $475,000 in profit as a result of the operation.
On July 24, a search warrant was served on two residences, a storage unit, and three vehicles. Additional search warrants were served in Connecticut by HSI New Haven. As a result of the search warrants, over $9,000 worth of stolen merchandise was recovered along with tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of collectible items. Miller and a suspected co-conspirator, Allison Hunt, were both booked into the Pima County Adult Detention Center.
“Retail theft affects all of our communities and the businesses within those communities,” said Oro Valley Police Chief Kara Riley. “We appreciate the partnerships we have with other agencies that help reduce those thefts and hold those committing them accountable.”
The Arizona Attorney General’s Office is prosecuting this case. The investigation is ongoing, and more arrests are expected.
About HSI
HSI is the principal investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel and finance move. HSI’s workforce consists of over 10,000 employees, assigned to 235 offices within the United States and 93 overseas locations in 56 countries. HSI's international presence represents DHS’s largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.