The Brief
- Goodyear police arrested three painters accused of running a multi-county burglary ring that stole an estimated $40,000 in paint from local construction sites.
- Investigators used an Apple AirTag hidden inside a paint bucket and Flock cameras to track the suspects and their cars.
- The three suspects, who are former employees of one of the victimized companies, allegedly confessed to the thefts and remain held on $20,000 bonds.
PHOENIX – Three Valley painters were arrested after police busted what they call a highly organized, multi-county commercial burglary ring that swiped an estimated $40,000 in paint from local construction sites to resell for quick cash.
What we know:
Goodyear police arrested Jose Zepeda, Rogelio Zepeda and Nicole Yamileth Gallardo during a Phoenix traffic stop on Wednesday. Investigators, working alongside multiple West Valley agencies, cracked the complex case using a combination of high-tech tracking, license plate readers and a victim’s hidden Apple AirTag. Police say the suspects — all former employees of one of the targeted businesses — used inside knowledge of delivery schedules to repeatedly target secure construction containers.…