Stolen Tri-Cities air conditioners hot sellers on Facebook. Theft ring busted

A group of thieves were trying to turn the Tri-Cities scorching summer temperatures into some cold cash with some hot air conditioners, said police.

Four suspects are charged with organized retail theft after they allegedly stole air conditioners from Walmart and tried to sell them online, Pasco police posted.

Someone tipped police off about the group on July 11, saying that Maria M. Pacheco, 23, of Zillah, and an accomplice were stealing air conditioning units and posting them for sale on Facebook, according to court records.

That was days after Pacheco was caught by Richland police pushing a $299 air conditioner out of the Duportail Street Walmart without paying for it.

She was stopped before she could finish putting it into a green Honda Civic driven by Elyssa P. Daniel, 21, of Sunnyside, said police.

Pacheco was cited by Richland police, and released.

Five days later, Daniel and Silva tried to walk out of the Kennewick Walmart with two air conditioners. When loss prevention officers stopped them, they left the items behind and ran for the same car.

Pacheco and her boyfriend Zachary D. Young, 23, of Pasco were already in the car with two more stolen two air conditioners, said court documents.

Less than an hour later, they were at the Road 68 Walmart where Daniel and Steven F. Silva, 20, of Pasco, shoplifted two air conditioners, said police. As they were loading up their stolen goods, Pasco police stopped and detained them.

Pacheco admitted to taking five or six units from retailers in the Tri-Cities with her three accomplices, said police.

Police said she had at least 12 different listings for air conditioners on her Facebook account. Many were listed as “brand new and in the box.”

The four are charged with second-degree organized retail theft in Franklin County Superior Court.

This story was originally published July 22, 2020 at 12:40 PM.