Tri-County Auto Theft Task Force recovers $615,000 in stolen dog food and treats

The Tri-County Auto Theft Task Force recovered roughly $750,000 worth of stolen property — including $615,000 in dog food and dog treats — at a business in Gurnee.

The discovery of the property followed a multiagency investigation that began with the theft of two semitrailers from a Joliet warehouse.

The Joliet Police Department responded to reports of two stolen semitrailers from a facility located in the 4100 block of Rock Creek Boulevard on June 30, according to a news release from the task force.

It was later discovered both trailers had been loaded with pallets of dog food and treats, collectively valued at $615,000, according to the release. Although the trailers were recovered after being abandoned, their contents had been removed, the release said.

The task force got a search warrant for Dan’s Deals Liquidation Store, at 3545 Grand Ave. in Gurnee, and searched the premises on July 13, according to the release.

More than 95% of the stolen dog food and treats was recovered and additional stolen property also was discovered and turned over to the respective agencies handling those investigations, according to the release.

Agents also recovered in the parking lot a stolen semitrailer containing stolen cargo from a separate theft reported to the Will County Sheriff’s Office earlier that same day, according to the release.

The entirety of the stolen property has an estimated retail value of $750,000. The investigation is ongoing, with further recoveries anticipated and arrests pending, according to the release.

Anyone with information related to these thefts is urged to contact TCAT at (815) 724-4677 or tcat@joliet.gov.