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Glendale Police Announce Arrests of Organized Theft Ring During Press Conference | Crime Files

Teenagers accused of participating in an organized theft ring in Arizona

Glendale police accuse the teenagers of committing nearly four dozen burglaries between June and August. They say the teenagers, aged between 14 and 16, targeted homes at night, breaking into them and stealing items while families were sleeping. Some were also armed.

GLENDALE, Arizona. – Glendale police officials held a press conference Wednesday afternoon to announce a series of arrests linked to what they call an organized theft ring.

The arrests were announced during a press conference on August 21. The following is known:

Who are the suspects?

Glendale Police identified the suspects as:

  • A 14-year-old girl
  • A 15-year-old boy
  • A 15-year-old boy
  • A 15-year-old girl
  • A 16-year-old boy

Because of their age, police did not release the suspects' identities, but court records for four of the teens released by Glendale police indicate that they all had previous arrests and convictions for theft of transportation. At least three of them were on probation at the time of the alleged crimes.

What happened?

Glendale Police Announce Arrests of Thieves' Ring

Glendale Police officials announced the arrest of a number of individuals in connection with what investigators are calling an organized crime ring. The announcement was made during a press conference on August 21.

During the press conference, Officer Moroni Mendez of the Glendale Police Department said the department was aware of “several thefts and burglaries committed by a group of teenagers.”

“It happened between June of this year and August,” said Officer Mendez. “Approximately 46 cases are known to the Glendale and Phoenix police departments.”

On the department's Facebook page, officials claim the suspects used stolen garage door openers to break into homes where people were sleeping. In at least one of the incidents, the teens were caught on surveillance video.

“We usually either go door to door and try to find out whose doors are unlocked, or we get garage door openers,” one of the suspects in the case said in a clip from an interrogation video posted by Glendale police on their Facebook page. The suspect's face was blurred out in the video. “Most people have something like that in their car. On the sun visor of their sunroof.”

When investigators in the video asked one of the suspects what would happen if the car door was locked, the suspect replied, “Break the window.”

Another surveillance video released by Glendale police shows the suspects wandering around the house.

“The teens roamed the house looking for items to steal while the homeowner was sleeping,” a caption in the video says.

Eventually, according to police, several search warrants were executed, and one of the suspects was arrested on his way home during the execution of a search warrant.

What charges are being made against the suspects?

Court documents on four suspects show that they are each accused of a number of crimes, including:

  • Unauthorized use of means of transport (ARS 13-1803A2)
  • Theft of means of transport (ARS 13-1814A5)
  • Burglary (ARS 13-1507A)
  • Weapons-Related Misconduct (ARS 13-3102A4)
  • Minor in possession of a firearm (ARS 13-3111A)
  • Possession or consumption of a narcotic drug (ARS 13-3408A1)

“One of the perpetrators said he was armed each time,” said Jose Santiago of the Glendale police. “These are very brazen acts by teenagers.”

Glendale police also believe it is possible that the teens are involved in other crimes in the Phoenix area.

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