Shelby County Sheriff’s Deputies, working jointly with investigators with the Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office, have arrested two people for operating a stolen property enterprise from a Hickory Hill pawn shop. Deputies say the arrests signify one of the largest property seizures ever from a pawn shop in Shelby County.

“I commend our detectives for their outstanding work. This investigation is an excellent example of how law enforcement, working in partnership with area retailers, can help curb the growing problem of property theft,” said Shelby County Sheriff Mark H. Luttrell, Jr.

Deputies in the ALERT Squad (Area Law Enforcement Retailers Team) received a tip that employees of “Big Daddy’s Pawn Shop” at 3700 Hickory Hill would buy stolen property.

Last Thursday, undercover Deputies with the ALERT Squad, went to the store and posed as thieves. Target, one of the lead businesses in the ALERT Squad partnership, donated a plasma television, iPods and other electronic goods for the sting. Deputies say Kristi Vice, 39 and Trae Benton, 33, offered to buy the items for $970.

Kristi Vice Trae Benton

After the arrest, Deputies began what turned out to be a three-day inventory of more than 6,000 items at the store including computer equipment, power tools and lawn mowers. Almost 3,000 items, including 500 pieces of jewelry, were not documented. Serial numbers were missing or altered from hundreds of other items, which filled up two tractor trailers.

“Prosecutors in our White Collar Crime Unit have been working with Sheriff’s detectives all weekend and have approved certain charges, as well as the seizure of bank accounts. The arrests made, and seizure of property, are the first steps in an on-going investigation. Items taken from retail stores and home, business and vehicle burglaries fuel much of the crime we have in our community. We will do what we can to hold accountable those responsible for such crimes,” said Shelby County District Attorney General Bill Gibbons.

Investigators also discovered more than $71,000 worth of DVDs. The DVDs, which were defective, had been ordered destroyed by Disney and other companies. Instead, the movies had been sold to the pawn shop.

Deputies say the owners of “Big Daddy’s Pawn Shop” operate other pawn shops in Shreveport, Houma and Bossier City, Louisiana and in Jackson, Mississippi. Sheriff’s detectives will be contacting law enforcement agencies in those cities about the seizure.

Kristi Vice, an owner of “Big Daddy’s,” has been charged with Theft of Property $1000-$10,000, Possession of Items with Alerted/Missing Identification Plates and for the Commission of a Prohibited Pawnbroker Act.

Trae Benton, a “Big Daddy’s” employee, has been charged with Theft of Property $1,000-$10,000 and Commission of a Prohibited Pawnbroker Act.

Sheriff’s Deputies and prosecutors with the Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office say both Benton and Vice face hundreds of charges.