CRANBERRY TWP — Police have charged 20 people suspected of engaging in a pattern of organized retail theft in Lowes Home Improvement store in five counties, including stores in Cranberry and Butler townships.

Cranberry Township Detective Matt Irvin helped identify each suspect in the case. Some of those have been arrested.

The thefts, which occurred between Feb. 9 and April 15, netted the suspects nearly $28,000.

According to police reports, the suspects would enter a Lowe's store and steal smaller expensive items like tools or electrical hardware.

Then different suspects would go to a different Lowe's store and return the stolen goods. Lowe's company policy is to issue a credit card when merchandise is returned without a receipt.

The credit cards, which can only be used in Lowe's stores, carry an equal balance to the amount of merchandise returned.

The suspects would then sell those credit cards at pawn shops for a fraction of the face value. Police tracked some of those cards and found them being used in states such as Illinois, California, Tennessee and North Carolina.

According to police, almost all of the merchandise was returned at stores in Cranberry and Butler townships.

Cranberry Sgt. Chuck Mascellino said Friday that the 20 suspects have been charged with corrupt organizations, a charge that can carry extended penalties.

“Corrupt organizations shows an organized pattern of retail theft created by this group,” he said. “Both the number of people involved and the dollar amount, and the fact they were active for a few months, led to the charge. $27,000 is a significant amount, even to a large corporation like Lowe's.”

Almost all of the suspects are from Beaver County. None are from Butler County.

All the suspects are charged with corrupt organizations, criminal conspiracy, organized retail theft, access device fraud, retail theft, theft by deception and receiving stolen property.

They hit Lowe's stores in Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Lawrence and Mercer counties.