In Longview, Washington, 39-year-old Robert George Scott was arrested. He is suspected of running a large-scale retail theft ring. A two-year investigation found that he organized a criminal group that stole merchandise from retail stores every day on his direct orders. Scott bought the stolen goods at bargain prices and resold them on eBay under the name “Castle Rock Resale,” earning millions of dollars in the process.
According to police, Scott didn’t just resell the stolen items—he personally recruited and managed the thieves, giving them precise instructions on which brands and products to steal, and which stores to hit. Among the affected retailers are Lululemon, Fred Meyer (a major regional supermarket chain in the U.S. Pacific Northwest where shoppers can buy groceries, clothing, electronics and home goods), Safeway, Walmart, and Target. Particular emphasis was placed on high-value items: Lululemon athletic apparel, gaming consoles, and collectible Pokémon trading cards.
The investigation began in 2024, after a Lululemon representative alerted police about a suspicious eBay shop. Data analysis showed that from June 2021 to June 2024, more than 118,000 items—worth over $3 million—were sold through “Castle Rock Resale.” Phone records confirmed that Scott had been running the operation since at least 2020, and as many as 50 people worked for him each day, many of whom called him “boss.”
During surveillance, detectives watched as Scott met with suspects in parking lots, picked up merchandise, and drove it to his home on Louisiana Street. During a search using an RFID scanner, police found more than 200 Lululemon items with sensors still attached. Inside the home, police discovered hundreds of new, unopened gaming consoles: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, as well as Apple products. Many of the consoles were limited edition releases.
One collection that drew particular attention contained 466 boxes of Pokémon cards, most of which were factory-sealed. Retail value for each box is estimated at between $3,500 and $15,000. Scott said he was stockpiling the cards for retirement and buying them using money from the resales. The total value of seized property is estimated at $7 million, including $22,817 in cash found in a cabinet.
Together with Robert Scott, 52-year-old Michelle Scott from Castle Rock was arrested—a small town in southern Washington near the Oregon border. It is likely the place is what prompted Scott to name his eBay shop “Castle Rock Resale.” During the search, police found records and ledgers indicating income of about $850,000 in a single year, even though the couple’s tax returns showed only $90,000 to $140,000. Police believe they had about $1 million stored in bank accounts and cryptocurrency wallets.
Robert Scott faces charges including organizing a criminal enterprise for organized theft, possession, and trafficking in stolen goods, as well as money laundering. He was released on bail but surrendered his passport. The scale of the scheme is striking: over nearly a decade, Scott turned what was essentially reselling stolen goods into a full-on criminal business, and his home into a warehouse valued like a small electronics store. Notably, organized retail theft has become a true epidemic in Washington state: according to the Retail Association, in 2022–2023 the rate rose by nearly 60% compared with the pre-pandemic period. Changes in state law contributed to this—particularly raising the threshold for criminal prosecution of stolen property—along with a shortage of police patrols.
Based on: Trove of stolen PlayStations, Pokémon cards, valuables found in WA home