Cottonwood Heights » Police here believe they may have cracked a large theft ring with the arrests of five suspects at a Home Depot outlet.

2News reports today that Cottonwood Heights law enforcement says those nabbed allegedly stole about $9,000 in goods, but the group's leaders might be responsible for up to a half a million dollars in losses to theft overall.

Police spokesman Beau Babka says the ringleaders allegedly figured out how to game Home Depot's system for returning merchandise, and then acquired gift cards with store credit.

Officers went to the Home Depot off of Fort Union and 1300 East Wednesday night after store security spotted a large van; the people inside the vehicle had allegedly used a gift card to buy thousands of dollars in items.

Inside the van, officers say they found a computer and maps with directions to Home Depots from California to Oregon. All five suspects arrested had arrived in Utah from California, investigators say.

"Many of these folks don't have prior arrests. They are being recruited from people who don't have jobs right now," Babka said.

Still at large Friday was an alleged ringleader, a sixth suspect who allegedly did the shopping but let another person with a gift card make the actual purchases. After the transactions, another suspect would use the receipt and load up with another selection of the same items; if questioned, they could show the receipt from the first purchase and leave.

"They are doubling their merchandise. They are putting money back on the gift cards because they are returning some of that merchandise and getting more gift cards or in store credit," Babka told 2News.