Peoria law enforcement is currently piecing together a spree of burglaries and robberies that targeted massage parlors across the city. In a period spanning from late Wednesday night to the early hours of Thursday morning, an unknown suspect executed a series of break-ins that left the local business community on edge.
The suspect's method, using suction cups to remove windowpanes, indicates a degree of premeditation and skill. The Peoria Police Department responded to the first incident after a call came in around 11 p.m. regarding suspicious activity near 83rd Avenue and Cactus Road, as reported by FOX 10 Phoenix. The break-ins spread to multiple locations with an incident also reported at 89th and Olive Avenues.
In total, four massage parlors were victim to the suspect's actions, with two of the incidents classified as robberies due to the presence of employees during the crimes. "It’s always been just a quiet place," Shiloh, a worker in the vicinity of the first site, told FOX 10 Phoenix, "Maybe they have a thing for those types of places."
Pursuing the trail, law enforcement encountered a chain of break-ins that led them to a massage parlor near 75th Avenue and Thunderbird Road. Despite efforts to predict and intercept the suspect, officers arrived to find the breaches had already been made. "They tried to get ahead but when they got here it was already too late," Officer Kris Babros explained in a statement obtained by 12 News. In what appears to be a calculated pattern, the windows were either shattered or meticulously removed, indicating the suspect may possess specialized training.
While no arrests have been made and descriptions of the suspect are still forthcoming, law enforcement continues to collect evidence. "We can say all of these are tied together, so our detectives are working at all the scenes fluently and trying to collect much information as they can," Babros mentioned, emphasizing the use of forensic teams to gather fingerprints and DNA. Any individuals with information about these incidents are encouraged to contact Peoria police. The safety and security concerns stemming from this string of crimes disturb the local community, echoed by Emmanuel, a local resident who expressed disapproval to FOX 10 Phoenix, "You know, instead of just working hard, trying to achieve American Dream, people just try to cause problems with everybody else."
