( CNN ) -- Authorities in St. Tammany Parish , Louisiana , say they have arrested a suspect and recovered more than $ 3 million in stolen property in a multistate string of J.C. Penney store burglaries . Hector Castillo of Houston , Texas , is under arrest in connection with a string of J.C. Penney burglaries . St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Jack Strain announced the arrest of Hector Castillo of Houston , Texas , on Wednesday . Police said the suspect admitted to his involvement in five J.C. Penney store burglaries nationwide during questioning . Investigators are still trying to identify accomplices in what they believe was a group . `` We believe that he is the mastermind , '' Strain said of the suspect . `` We believe that he is the one who called the shots , we believe that he is the one that made the decisions on which stores and when they do it . '' The rash of thefts began in June , with a break-in at a J.C. Penney store in Indiana . Two of the chain department stores were hit in Texas in July , and in August , two more were burglarized in Louisiana . Louisiana police , acting on information obtained during the investigation , made the arrest in Pasadena , Texas , on Tuesday in conjunction with local authorities . Castillo was booked on two outstanding theft warrants in Texas and as a fugitive from St. Tammany Parish , police said . Strain said the suspect has 27 known aliases and used as many as 16 Social Security numbers . Authorities said they found stolen property inside the suspect 's home and in two other storage locations . Strain estimated the value of the recovered property at about $ 3.5 million . Police released photographs showing a full garbage bag and a table crammed with recovered watches and jewelry . Detectives are working with J.C. Penney officials to coordinate the return of the recovered property , police said . CNN 's Sean Callebs contributed to this report .
Authorities recovered about $ 3.5 million in stolen property ; 5 stores hit . Castillo was `` mastermind '' behind burglaries , Texas sheriff says . Sheriff : Suspect has 16 known aliases and 5 J.C. Penney numbers . Detectives are working with J.C. Penney officials to return property .