Four Delaware residents face theft charges for allegedly stealing more than $30,000 worth of raw chicken from a Perdue plant in Milford, the town’s police department announced.
A weeks-long investigation of an internal theft reported by Perdue led authorities to an organized criminal theft operation run by Lorenzo Jones Jr., 40, of Dover, police said. Co-conspirators included Lloyd Dukes, 44, of Felton, Kenneth Smith, 40, also a Felton resident, and Laroya Buck, 37, of Dover.
Jones, Dukes and Smith removed cases of raw chicken from the plant on numerous occasions, according to police. Jones and Dukes would then drive the cases of chicken off Perdue’s property, where Buck would meet them with a refrigerated box truck.
All four were arrested and arraigned, with court appearances to be scheduled at a later date in Kent County Court.
The Delaware bust comes a month after authorities made three arrests in a Miami, Fla.-based organized crime ring that targeted beef and pork packaging plans in six states, allegedly stealing $9 million in frozen meat.