Three suspects, including two juveniles, were taken into custody following a number of car break-ins in the Phoenix area, Gilbert Police reported on Thursday. Elijah Saenz, 18, from San Tan Valley, and two 17-year-old teens from Mesa were arrested on October 8 in connection with the crimes said to have been committed over several weeks. According to FOX 10 Phoenix, the arrests led to the recovery of multiple firearms and stolen items.
The burglaries, taking place between September 15 and October 1, featured a series of incidents including a failed theft from a car in Tempe and multiple break-ins within a Gilbert neighborhood; during one particular spree on September 23, Saenz and his accomplices allegedly broke into nine vehicles seizing items that ranged from a wallet to an iPad and golf clubs, as per details outlined in court documents mentioned by AZ Family. On the evening of October 1, additional thefts occurred in Mesa, Peoria, and Sun City where among the stolen property was a handgun, tools, and a credit card subsequently declined at a Dunkin’ Donuts establishing a trail that likely contributed to the culprits' capture.
Following a traffic stop near Guadalupe and Ellsworth Roads in Mesa, Saenz and the teenage suspects were apprehended; during the arrest, officers discovered three firearms, two of them loaded, and various stolen articles in their possession. In an explanation that perhaps sought to attenuate their deeds, Saenz admitted to the series of burglaries attributing the actions to them being "young and dumb," reported in an interview with AZ Family. He also confessed that the trio would take whatever they could find, "sometimes they find firearms."
Charges have since mounted against Saenz who now faces 16 counts of burglary along with various other accusations including criminal damage and misconduct involving weapons. The two minors arrested have been placed in a juvenile facility, with charges related to the possession of a firearm, law enforcement officials informed AZ Family.
