Phoenix Man Indicted for Stealing $6,000 in Power Tools from Home Improvement Stores

A man has been indicted for stealing over $6,000 worth of power tools from home improvement stores across Phoenix. Luis Adrian Valle-Martinez was accused of stealing power tools and hardware from 17 Lowe's and Home Depot stores in the area between September 2025 and July 2026.

The county attorney's office said Valle-Martinez used self-checkout machines to pay for low-cost items, then left the stores without paying for higher-cost items. He would sell these stolen goods along 27th Avenue and Van Buren Street in Phoenix.

Valle-Martinez was indicted on 17 felony counts of organized retail theft. The county attorney has been cracking down on organized retail theft rings, stating that this crime is used to fund other crimes.