$70,000 worth of stolen merchandise returned to Seattle businesses

SEATTLE -- Seattle Police returned $70,000 worth of stolen items to 29 stores downtown following a months-long investigation.

According to police, the investigation led to the arrest and conviction of a man in Burien. He was sentenced to seven months in prison for the large theft ring.

Police said a lot of the items recovered from his home still had the tags on them.

Four others were arrested in connection with the theft ring, in which items were stolen then resold. Those cases are still pending.

"We hear all the time complaints from various retailers about property crimes downtown. It's good to show what we've done, what's been effective ... to return stuff back to those retailers," Seattle Police Sgt. Rob Brown said.