Florida pastor accused of running Home Depot thefts ring. What to know about case, Robert Dell

A former pastor has been accused of running an organized crime ring based on selling stolen Home Depot items online.

Robert Dell, from Pinellas County is facing charges after he made millions through the alleged crime ring, which include racketeering and dealing in stolen property.

According to Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, Dell worked with multiple accomplices to steal name-brand items from Home Depot stores in several Florida counties and then sell the items on eBay. The items included Milwaukee and DeWalt products.

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Who was the pastor accused of stealing from Home Depot?

Robert Dell, 56, is a former pastor of The Rock Church and former director of a halfway house serving those recovering from drug addiction in St. Petersburg, Florida.

According to the press release by Florida's Attorney General Ashley Moody, the Pinellas County pastor took advantage of his position at the recovery house and reportedly threatened recovering drug addicts to make them steal for him.

He would then recover the stolen items from them and resell them via his eBay account, which was named Anointed Liquidator, officials said.

What Florida Home Depots were targeted by Dell?

Officials said the Home Depot stores targeted were set in a radius that spanned several hundred miles, specifically throughout Citrus, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, and Sarasota Counties.

How much did Robert Dell steal from Home Depot?

A six-month investigation enacted by Moody's office documented roughly $1.4 million in losses from these stores. Home Depot suspects Dell operated this scheme for more than 10 years, resulting in the loss of more than $5 million.

When was Robert Dell arrested?

Robert Dell was arrested on Aug. 7, 2023.

According to the press release, Dell is facing charges of racketeering, conspiracy to commit racketeering and dealing in stolen property as an organizer.

Who else was arrested for stealing from Home Depot?

Four other people were arrested back in August in relation to the thefts, including Dell's wife and mother.

Authorities identified Jaclyn Dell, Robert Dell’s wife and Karen Dell, Robert Dell’s mother, as conspirators, assisting in the collection, shipment and payment of the stolen goods. Jaclyn is facing a charge of conspiracy to RICO while Karen was charged with dealing in stolen property.

Co-conspirators, Daniel Mace and Jessica Wild were also arrested. They are accused by state investigators of stealing the majority of the merchandise and, on average, victimized stores five to six times a day. They then delivered the merchandise to Dell’s house to be sold.

How was Pastor Robert Dell caught?

Moody said that this case is another successful example due to the implementation of FORCE, which is a taskforce meant to fight back against "organized retail theft and prevent lawlessness in Florida."

“Due to the success of FORCE, another retail theft crime ring is dismantled, and our Statewide Prosecutors continue to file charges against organized retail thieves. This pastor clearly skipped over the commandment — thou shall not steal," Moody said.

"Our FORCE taskforce shut down his criminal operation stealing millions of dollars worth of merchandise from Home Depot stores across the state to resell the items on eBay. We will not tolerate organized retail theft in Florida and my office will continue to combat these criminal organizations.”

Since 2019, Moody’s statewide prosecutors have filed more than 90 cases and charged more than 300 defendants in cases involving organized retail theft. The Office of Statewide Prosecution has a nearly 100% conviction rate for organized retail theft cases.

What has Dell's Church said about his crimes?

The Rock Church refuted Moody's claim that Dell was still a pastor at the church. They have since put up a statement on their website about him, that said:

"Just to clear the record. Robert Dell is not the pastor of the rock church. He wasn’t the founding Pastor Either. He was the Pastor when it was named the Rock Community Church and Transformation Center, and hasn’t been a Pastor for the last 2 1/2 years."

What has Home Depot said about the thefts?

Home Depot has yet to issue a formal statement on Dell and the incident. However, the chain's vice president of asset protection Scott Glenn told The Wall Street Journal that the number of thefts in Tampa had dropped since Dell was charged.

“Somebody else will rise up and probably start doing this in the absence of this group that was busted,” he said.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Home Depots in Florida target of pastor's theft ring, prosecutors say