Burglary

Criminal Intent

Who's A-Frayed?

Untitled

The whereabouts of a stolen vehicle are known, but the original owner can't get it back

Car Theft by the Numbers

The whereabouts of a stolen vehicle are known, but the original owner can't get it back

Red-Light Camera Helps Stick It to Suspected Motorcycle Thief

One in a blue moon, photo enforcement cameras do something other than make a profit off of momentarily careless drivers like Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon. One Phoenix red-light camera helped nab a suspected motorcycle thief recently, says the Arizona Department of Public Safety.  

Pizza Fusion Burglarized After Fundraiser for Local Family

It can't all be appetizing news. Today's big story is downright nauseating. The fundraiser that Mesa's new Pizza Fusion restaurant held in conjunction with its grand opening -- which was intended to help Frank and Tracy Smith, who were seriously injured in a car accident that killed their two young ... More >>

Auto Theft Down in Phoenix and Tucson; Arizona DPS Takes Credit

Roger Vanderpool, DPS Director The Arizona Department of Public Safety is taking credit for a decrease in auto thefts in Phoenix and Tucson, saying a smorgasbord of enforcement efforts made the difference. Referring to a report by the National Insurance Crime Bureau that show no Arizona city i ... More >>

Enemies List

Arpaio haters, perceived and otherwise, beware! Looks like Joe's up to his old tricks

The Libertines

The Libertines
(Sanctuary)

An Ax to Find

Rehearsal-room burglary leaves two bands short of at least $12,000 worth of equipment

Serious Withdrawal

Late-night robberies. High-tech heists. Coercions, confessions and cover-ups. It's just business as usual at a Phoenix ATM company.

Liar and Thief

Performance artist Mary Kay Zeeb Splits the difference

The Life and Crimes of Andrew Forkes

A 93-year-old career criminal looks back in danger

Targets Beyond The Turf

Will you be next in the line of gang fire?

Ripe for Exploitation

Will you be next in the line of gang fire?

BRIAN KINGMAN'S BLUE PERIOD

THE FORMER OAKLAND A'S PITCHER GOT ENTANGLED IN THE THEFT OF A MILLION-DOLLAR PICASSO. EXCEPT IT WASN'T A PICASSO.

Joe Arpaio Fanboy/Neo-Nazi "Vito Lombardi" is Thomas Vito Coletto, Alleged Columbine Copycat (w/Update)

from KPHO Channel 5 Thomas Coletto, aka, "Vito Lombardi" in 2007 I've discovered the true identity of the neo-Nazi who posed for a pic with Sheriff Joe Arpaio on May 2, which he then posted on Stormfront.org. His name is Thomas Vito Coletto, birth date 8/23/1989. And he has a record. Specific ... More >>

Hot Links: Bill Rejected, Parks Closed, Supermodel Jailed

The Arizona house has rejected a bill that would have made the presence of illegal immigrants criminal by expanding its trespassing laws. Opponents argued passage of the bill would have lead to racial profiling...Phoenix asphalt contractor John D. Stacey was convicted on federal tax evasion charges ... More >>

Phoenix Auto Thefts Down 33 Percent

www.mobilesyrup.com​If you're like many of us and missed the federal government's generous "Cash for Clunkers" deadline, you may have been hoping someone would steal your dumpy old Chrysler so you can collect a little insurance money. In the past, parking your car in certain Phoe ... More >>

Hot Links: Standoffs, Ripoffs, and Blackouts

​A Yuma man is in custody after an almost nine-hour standoff with police. Michael McCormick was wanted in connection with several vehicle thefts and burglaries. When police tracked him to a motel, he fled and broke into a trailer home, where the standoff ensued. He eventually surrendered and was t ... More >>

Crime in Mesa Drops Considerably; And Just Last Week Mesa PD Said It Couldn't Enforce DUI Laws

www.theblueline.com​The Mesa Police Department announced Wednesday that the city has seen the greatest reduction in crime since 1963. According to police, among other declines, there has been a 39 percent drop in auto theft and 31 percent decrease in homicides.

Robbers Steal the Ashes of a Peoria Family's Dead Son

www.psychologytoday.com​Peoria police are looking for the person or person responsible for robbing the home of a Peoria family. On the list of missing items: The ashes of the family's dead son. Lindsay Grannis, the child's mother, says when she came home yesterday afternoon, her garage door ... More >>

Copper Thief Falls Through Ceiling at Phoenix Elementary School; Said to Have "Life-Threatening Injuries"

www.hilaryshepard.com​ In what teacher Alex Chambers describes as actions leading to the ultimate failing grade for breaking and entering, an alleged copper thief is in critical condition after falling through the ceiling at Bret Tarver Elementary School in Phoenix. Teachers at th ... More >>

Thief Steals $300 Worth of Fake Weed From Flagstaff Head Shop

www.seekcodes.com​Did you hear the one about the guy who broke into a head shop and stole $300 worth of fake weed? Probably not, because it's not a joke -- some idiot actually did it on Monday night in Flagstaff.In the police blotter of yesterday's Arizona Daily Sun, there is a report of a b ... More >>

Wayne Gretzky Jersey Stolen by California Man; Suspect Arrested Actually Wearing Jersey

www.orchidparkccc.com The Great One​A California man faces felony theft charges after allegedly stealing a hockey jersey autographed by The Great One himself from a sports bar in North Dakota. Authorities in North Dakota say 33-year-old Mark Stevens got drunk and swiped an Edmont ... More >>

Phoenix Thieves Targeted Identities of Elderly; Police Looking for Victims

George Gregg​The Phoenix Police Department is asking the public's help in tracking down victims of a pair of thieves, who police say targeted elderly victims across the Valley.Last month, police arrested 30-year-old George Gregg and 60-year-old David Gregg on several charges of theft and bur ... More >>

Family of Circle K Beer Thieves Busted by Tempe Police; Traded Stolen Beer for Meth, Cops Say

Tempe Police Department Antonio Tavena faces 45 felony charges for his role in the thefts.​A family of "brazen" beer thieves' reign of terror over Tempe Circle K convenience stores has come to an end.The alleged thieves, Antonio Coronado Tavena, 34, Elizabeth Tavena, 30, Manuel Tavena, 23, ... More >>

Dude Burglarizes Store and Gets Caught Holding Cash Register -- and a Bike he Stole the Day Before

Honandez Simmons​There's a new candidate for the world's dumbest, alleged criminal: 37-year-old Honandez Simmons.Simmons was arrested early this morning after he was found in the parking lot of a Mesa shopping center picking up change.Picking up change in a parking lot is not illegal, as far as we ... More >>

Suspect Identified in Utah Deputy Murder; Shooting Apparently Over Stolen Burritos

Scott Curley​The hunt is on for the man authorities believe shot and killed a Utah Sheriff's Deputy yesterday.Kane County, Utah, Sheriff's Deputy Brian Harris was killed as he was chasing a burglary suspect three miles east of Fredonia. Police have identified a suspect in the case as 23-year-old S ... More >>

Burrito Thief/ Suspect in Utah Cop Murder Busted Just North of Arizona/ Utah Border

Scott Curley​When we first got word Friday morning that the 23-year-old suspect in the murder of a Utah police officer was hiding out in a six-square-mile section of the Arizona desert we figured he'd be in custody before lunch.Despite hundreds of cops swarming the area, that suspect, Scott Curley ... More >>

Would-Be Burglar Forrest Gump-ed by Homeowner. Guy Shot Suspect in A** During Attempted Burglary

www.imdb.com"Somethin' jumped up and bit me!"​Burglary's not easy. It can be a real pain in the ass -- especially if that's where the guy whose house you're trying burglarize shoots you after you bust down his door.Yesterday, it seems shotgun justice prevailed after a 19-year-old suspect and one o ... More >>

Mooning-Gone-Wrong Earns Peoria Man Two Felony Indecent Exposure Charges

Jay Searles​A Peoria man, wrongly accused of stealing a hat at a local water park, handled the false accusation by attempting to moon his accusers in the middle of the park. But he failed and by the time it was over, the only people exposed to the man's ass were five innocent bystanders.According ... More >>

Pinal County Man Breaks Into Same House Twice in as Many Days

Albert Graham​A Pinal County man (who happens to look a lot like Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu) apparently wasn't satisfied with the stuff he stole from a woman's house during one burglary, so he burglarized the same exact house the very next day.According to the Pinal County Sheriff's Office, o ... More >>

Man Driving Stolen Car Stopped by DPS -- So He Punched Officer in Face and Stole Patrol Car; Suspect Still Loose

​A man driving a stolen car was stopped by a Department of Public Safety officer this afternoon. Apparently not happy he was about to go down for allegedly stealing a car, during the arrest, he punched the officer in the face and stole his car, too.DPS spokesman Bart Graves tells New Times that ea ... More >>

Burglary Fail: Mesa Thief Arrested for Botched Burglary After Getaway Car Wouldn't Start

www.aaa.com​Sometimes you just don't have time to call AAA -- for example, if you're in the process of burglarizing a house, someone sees you, and your getaway car won't start -- which is exactly what happened to a pair of thieves in Mesa yesterday morning.According to the Mesa Police D ... More >>

ASU Police Records Show Expensive, Odd Things Stolen From University

No official word on whether Sparky ended up stealing this computer.​What do 100 high-end computer CPUs, $1,660 worth of toilet paper, and a box of brownies have in common? They used to be property of Arizona State University - that is - until they were stolen. And those are just three of the 136 ... More >>

Grape Thief Busted for Three Tempe Burglaries

blippitt.com​Hide your kids, hide your wife, and hide your grapes.Tempe police arrested a 17-year-old Phoenix kid suspected of a burglary on Friday afternoon -- as he sat eating the same grapes he'd stolen from a house he allegedly broke into.

Worst Guard Dog Ever: Pooch Stolen During Phoenix Burglary Returned to Owner

Lexy: the worst guard dog ever.​Phoenix resident Mike Aley is the proud owner of a 4-year-old Staffordshire Terrier named Lexy, who happens to be one of the worst guard dogs in the entire world.On February 24, Aley's house near 64th and Voltaire streets was burglarized. The thieves, Aley tells New ... More >>

Mesa Burglary Foiled After Suspect Gets Stuck in Clothes Hamper

MCSOMichael Kristopher Trias​Police say a man broke into a Mesa apartment Thursday morning, only to have his burglary plan hampered by getting caught in a clothes hamper. Mesa police Detective Mike Melendez tells New Times that a 45-year-old man was in the bathroom of his apartment, on the 300 bl ... More >>

Beer Thief Stabs Would-Be Hero During Heineken Heist

If you know this guy, call the cops.​The Peoria Police Department needs the public's help in tracking down a man they say stole a few Heinekens from a Circle K convenience store last night.According to police, the thief stole two 12-packs of Heineken from a Circle K near 87th Avenue and Bell Road. ... More >>

Rock Burglar Suspect Arrested

​What's a great way to divert attention from the fact that Mexican drug cartels have infiltrated the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office? Announcing the arrest of an infamous criminal who's been able to evade capture for 17 years certainly doesn't hurt. Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and County A ... More >>

"Rock Burglar" Identified as 58-year-old Robert James Neese

Alleged "Rock Burglar" Robert James Neese​According to Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, the man infamously known as the "Rock Burglar" is 58-year-old Robert James Neese.Neese was arrested this morning at a restaurant in south Phoenix.Arpaio says DNA evidence links Neese to some of the burglarie ... More >>

Punks Target 71-Year-Old Medical Marijuana Applicant for Burglary Attempt. Victim Only Had Small Amount of Weed

​A 71-year-old Phoenix man recently applied for a medical-marijuana card -- which apparently was all it took to make him a target for a few punks looking to steal some medical weed.According to the Phoenix Police Department, about 5:30 p.m. yesterday, a neighbor of the victim's called 9-1-1 to ... More >>

Ashes of Tempe Woman's Dead Husband Stolen During Burglary, Victim Reaches Out to Public for Help

Karen DoryKaren Dory and her Husband (right) stand with their family in an old photo​"Cowards." That's how Karen Dory described the people who snuck into her Tempe home and stole her husband's ashes last month. On June 2, Dory's East Fairmont Drive home was burglarized. The unknown suspects stol ... More >>

Walmart Employees Steal Cash From Store to Fund Sex-Change Operation, Toyota Supra

The Daily CourierSpencer Cullen stole money from Wal-Mart to pay for a sex-change operation.​Spencer Danger Cullen, 23, was born with a penis -- and he's apparently so determined to get rid of it that he and a friend burglarized the Walmart where the two worked in order to come up with the cash to ... More >>

Meet Brandi Farnberg -- the Hottest Alleged Car Thief in the Valley *UPDATED*

MCSOBrandi Farnberg's not a bad lookin' woman. She's also an alleged car thief.​Sorry, gentlemen, according to her Facebook page, Brandi Farnberg, 23, is in a relationship. According to police, she's also an alleged car thief with aliases like "Sabrina Angelo," "Brandy Torres," and "Kacey Whitmore ... More >>

Thieves Burglarize Same Pawn Shop Twice in Five Hours; Make Off With Nearly 50 Guns

PCSOThis is a picture of one of the men police say stole roughly 50 guns from a pawn shop in San Tan Valley.​Roughly 50 guns were stolen from a San Tan Valley pawn shop early yesterday morning in two separate burglaries. Now authorities want your help in tracking down the alleged thieves.The Pinal ... More >>

MCSO Deputy Bill Coleman Murder: Burglary Suspects Arrested

MCSODeputy Bill Coleman was murdered on January 8, when he and other deputies responded to a burglary call in Anthem.​In what Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio insists was "not a news conference," the MCSO announced this afternoon that two men who allegedly burglarized the business where Deputy B ... More >>

Death of MCSO Deputy Bill Coleman: Should Alleged Burglars Be Charged With Murder?

MCSODeputy Bill Coleman, murdered father of four.​Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio announced yesterday that two men have been arrested for allegedly breaking into the Anthem medical facility where MCSO Deputy Bill Coleman was murdered earlier this month by 30-year-old "UFO-ologist" Drew Ryan Mar ... More >>

Scholarship Set Up to Honor Slain MCSO Deputy William Coleman

MCSOSlain MCSO Deputy Bill Coleman​A scholarship has been set up to honor the memory of slain Maricopa County Sheriff's Deputy Bill Coleman, who was murdered last month while responding to a burglary call at a medical facility in Anthem.The Rotary Club of Anthem is the group behind the scholarship ... More >>