A 41-year-old man is accused of scrolling through Instagram to find Valley homeowners bragging about their vacations, then allegedly breaking into their houses while they were away. Scottsdale police arrested Tyler Lee Johnston in connection with a string of home break-ins, and court records say he targeted residents who posted online that they were out of town.
According to court records cited by AZ Family, Johnston targeted homes belonging to people who posted on social media that they were traveling or on vacation, then allegedly broke into those same homes while the owners were gone. Separately, fox10phoenix.com reported that authorities suspect Johnston may be connected to more than 20 residential burglaries spread across Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Phoenix, Gilbert and Mesa, with court documents alleging he used Instagram posts showing victims traveling to confirm their houses were empty before striking.
A Shattered Front Door in Central Phoenix
One of the alleged victims, Sean McGraw, had his central Phoenix home broken into on Sunday, Oct. 4. Surveillance video from the home reportedly shows a man in a ski mask and dark clothing throwing rocks at the house and smashing the glass on the front door, according to the same report. McGraw's front door remains boarded up after being shattered, the station noted.
Police believe the masked man caught on that surveillance footage was Johnston, per AZ Family's reporting. McGraw told the station he believes his wife's social media post about being out of town may have led to the break-in. “Wait to post about your vacation until you are back from vacation,” McGraw said, adding that vacation posts can put people and their families at risk.
Caught Near the Scene, Then Tracked Down
Court records say police caught Johnston after spotting his car near homes that had been broken into. Fox10phoenix.com separately reported that on Oct. 4, officers watched as Johnston allegedly broke into a Phoenix home through a front window before he was arrested outside his business office in Tempe — an account that differs from AZ Family's report that police tracked Johnston to his office in Scottsdale. Johnston was arrested shortly after Sunday's break-in, according to AZ Family.
Investigators allege Johnston drove a white Toyota Camry and routinely disabled homes' main power breaker boxes before entering through rear glass doors or windows, per fox10phoenix.com's reporting. The outlet reported that the stolen property allegedly included Rolex and Cartier watches, designer bags, firearms, and a signed Kobe Bryant MVP jersey valued at over $100,000. AZ Family similarly reported that Johnston is accused of stealing more than $100,000 worth of cash, jewelry and other valuables.
Charges, Bond and What Comes Next
Johnston was charged with the burglary of McGraw's home and another burglary in Scottsdale, according to AZ Family. Fox10phoenix.com reported that he was booked into Maricopa County jail on charges of second-degree burglary and possession of burglary tools. Under Arizona law, a person commits second-degree burglary by entering or remaining unlawfully in a residential structure with intent to commit theft or a felony there, according to the Arizona Legislature.
Bond figures reported for Johnston differ between outlets. Fox10phoenix.com reported that prosecutors requested a $100,000 cash bond, while AZ Family reported that Johnston was released on a $40,000 bond. Authorities suspect Johnston may be involved in more than a dozen other Valley break-ins involving people who were out of town and posted about it on social media, AZ Family reported, while fox10phoenix.com's count put the suspected total above 20 burglaries across the five cities. Fox10phoenix.com reported that Johnston is due back in court for a preliminary hearing on Oct. 13, and AZ Family reported that he awaits the possibility of additional charges.
A Known Risk of Oversharing Online
The idea that social media posts can tip off burglars isn't new. A 2011 study cited by NBC News found that 78 percent of 50 former burglars surveyed in the United Kingdom said thieves monitor platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare before picking a target, and that same reporting noted 74 percent of surveyed ex-thieves said criminals use Google Street View to scope out homes beforehand. A MetLife Auto & Homes report cited in that same decade-old research found that 15 percent of Americans admitted to using social media to announce they had left home. Those figures are more than a decade old, but McGraw's experience suggests the underlying risk hasn't gone away.
