Police bust major theft ring in Leominster

LEOMINSTER, Mass. — A video rental store was offering more than just video games and used DVDs. Leominster Police say the owner of Adopt-A-Video, John Duplease of Lancaster, was selling stolen goods.

After a yearlong investigation, a task force made up of Leominster and Lancaster Police, along with State Police and the New England State Police Information Network broke up a major theft ring, recovering more than 6,300 stolen items with a value of more than half a million dollars.

“This started in February 2020 as a motor vehicle stop. Suspects were identified, one had a warrant, and it took off from there. There was some information obtained from that motor vehicle stop that got the wheels turning on this,” said Trooper Joesph Hall with the Mass State Police.

According to police, Duplease had a group of nearly 30 people, identified as drug addicts and prolific shoplifters, that he used to steal the merchandise.

“He fed on people who were addicted to opioids. He would use them as his means of stealing all these items and he would pay them pennies on the dollar, said Lt. Evan Moody with Lancaster Police.

The items ranged from power tools, home and kitchen appliances, even Legos. Investigators say the group stole from places like Home Depot, Target, Lowe’s, Walmart, CVS, Stop & Shop, and Hannaford’s, causing millions of dollars in lost revenue and millions of dollars in lost tax revenue to the State of Massachusetts.

Duplease reportedly then posted the items for sale on private Amazon and eBay accounts, where he made more than a million dollars in sales.

After executing a search warrant, police recovered 1,695 stolen items from the video store and another 4,609 items at his Lancaster home. Cash and other evidence were also found at both locations.

“There was a video rental store in operation, but it was obviously also a front for selling and receiving stolen merchandise, said Captain Michael Ciccolini of the Leominster Police Department.

Duplease was arrested and charged with aggravated organized retail crime over $10,000, leader of an organized retail crime, and receiving stolen property over $1200.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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