CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Pictures of a multi-million dollar eBay store that sold stolen items out of a storage unit were released by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police on Wednesday.
Edwin Barkley, 63, pleaded guilty last month to transporting stolen property in the case. CMPD said Barkley had co-conspirators who would steal tools from Lowe's, Home Depot, and Target and sell them to him. Barkley would then turn around and resell the items on eBay through "Tool King USA", according to authorities.
"The investigation revealed that between Aug. 2015 and Oct. 2018, the eBay store sold $3 million in stolen merchandise," CMPD said.
Barkley was released on bond. A sentencing date has not been set.
In a statement to NBC Charlotte, Home Depot said organized retail crime (ORC) is a serious, growing problem for retailers.
"The Home Depot has dedicated ORC investigators who worked for many months on this case with law enforcement," the statement continues. "We’re grateful for the cooperation with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police to shut down this operation. As ORC continues to impact North Carolina, the partnerships with law enforcement and other retailers are vital in stopping fencing operations that threaten the safety of our communities."
