Residents of Waddell, Arizona, are left reeling after the recent theft of a truck, carried out by armed criminals who demonstrated a sophisticated method of vehicle theft. According to FOX 10 Phoenix, the victim, Michael Florant, discovered the theft of his GMC truck when an alert on his phone indicated his vehicle had been accessed without a key. Upon reviewing his Ring camera footage, he witnessed the theft had taken place at around 2:30 a.m., where four individuals in a white Chevy Camaro, one brandishing a rifle, swiftly stole his truck.
This incident comes at a time when Florant and other residents are awakening to the reality of criminals using technology—signal amplifying devices—to unlock cars with wireless key fobs, and in Florant's situation, the ease of the theft aligned with their preparedness to use force, they did not care if they got caught, if they were on camera, or if the lights that illuminated their every move, "They didn't care if they got caught, didn't care if they were on camera, the camera was right above where they were. The lights, they were lit up and filmed the whole time. They were hooded, gloves, the whole works," Florant recounted in an interview with FOX 10 Phoenix.
Another resident in the Waddell neighborhood who preferred to stay anonymous saw their truck, similarly stolen from their driveway just minutes after the Florant's theft, lost captured the situation through their own security footage; the sequence of events suggests a potential trend in the area. Florant shared some words of warning for other residents in light of the theft saying, "If you have video footage, and you see it happening, just make sure you're recording and it's not worth it honestly. It's just stuff," as reported by FOX 10 Phoenix.
With fears growing that this incident might not stand alone but is instead connected to a series of thefts across the state, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office is leafing the investigation, without ruling out the involvement of an organized crime group or copycat criminals, "These guys are organized. They're not worried about getting caught. They don't think they're ever going to get caught," Florant expressed to 12 News.
Meanwhile, anyone with information pertaining to the thefts is encouraged to contact the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office at 602-876-1011 or provide a tip anonymously through 602-876-TIPS.
