EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio — Cleveland police said a series of raids involving gas stations Monday morning is connected to an investigation of a theft ring involving interstate commerce.
Police said federal, state, and local police served search warrants at five locations in three cities Monday morning connected to the investigation.
Two of those search warrants involved raids at gas stations in East Cleveland.
Police were seen walking in and out of the Shell gas station at Euclid and Superior, while police and workers wearing Dollar General logos were seen carrying grocery items and household goods out of the Sunoco gas station across from Shaw High School.
Cleveland police confirm the thefts involved carjackings in which truckloads of goods were stolen.
Investigators said the victim in those cases was Dollar General stores.
A spokesperson for Dollar General referred questions to local authorities so "as to not hinder their investigation."
Cleveland police said the department's Financial Crimes Units is handling the investigation, which police said is in its early stages.
Police said additional search warrants were served in Parma and Cleveland.
Late Monday afternoon, a spokesman for the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office said thousands of dollars of stolen merchandise and property were recovered as part of the raids.
Charges are expected to be filed; however, the matter remains under investigation.
