Police said the scheme involved 3 men and stores in Bethlehem Township, Whitehall Township and Allentown.
A second man is facing charges in connection with an alleged stealing spree at Lehigh Valley Home Depot stores.
Felix Polnasek Jr., of Belvidere, was arrested by New Jersey State Police and is being held at Warren County Jail, Bethlehem Township police said.
The 48-year-old Polnasek is awaiting arraignment in Northampton County district court on four counts of retail theft, six counts of conspiracy, three counts of theft and a single count of attempted theft.
Betlehem Township police allege Polnasek was one of three men who targeted Home Depot Stores in the township, Allentown and Whitehall Township.
Matthew Casciole was the first person charged in the investigation.
Casciole was arraigned Friday on 20 charges, including eight counts of retail theft and four counts of theft by deception. He was sent to Northampton County Prison in lieu of $50,000 bail.
From Dec. 26 through May 27, Casciole and his accomplices stole $3,000 in store credit and materials from Home Depot stores, police said.
Polnasek made fake returns for store credit and helped use receipts from legitimate purchases to steal the exact same merchandise, police said.
Township police said the thefts were all caught on surveillance video at the stores.
Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.