Phoenix Police make big stolen property trafficking bust; 3 people arrested

Phoenix PD arrests 3 people in connection with big stolen property trafficking ring

The three people, according to police, were arrested on May 19. They are accused of buying items from people who stole them, and then putting the items up for sale online.

PHOENIX - Phoenix Police officials say their officers have made one of the largest trafficking busts in department history for stolen property.

Police: Arrests made following six-month investigation

Officials say on May 19, they arrested three people in connection with the trafficking operation. The arrests took place near 75th Avenue and Bethany Home Road, where police found more than $21,000 in cash, and $15,000 to $20,000 in stolen merchandise.

According to investigators, a group of people would steal various items from places like, Lowe’s, Target and Home Depot, and then then selling them to the suspects. The suspects were identified as Blanca Herrera, Dagoberto Valenzuela, and Rigoberto Valenzuela. The three suspects will then put the items up for sale online, using OfferUp and Facebook Marketplace.

Since 2019, the group has reportedly listed more than 10,000 items for sale. Detectives uncovered the ring by selling merchandise themselves online, representing it as stolen, and then purchasing discounted stolen items from these three people.

"High dollar items including ceiling fans, vacuums like Dyson vacuums, home improvement locks for doors," said Sgt. Ann Justus with the Phoenix Police Department. "The amount of documentation that we got back from some of these search warrants is going to take investigators months to actually determine the impact that this ring had on businesses in the Valley."

The three suspects are in the Maricopa County Jail. Phoenix Police officials say this is only the very beginning of the investigation, adding that this will take months to determine how much the ring has impacted retailers all over the Valley.

Anyone with information should leave an anonymous tip by calling Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS. Spanish speakers can leave an anonymous tip by calling Testigo Silencioso at 480-TESTIGO.

Si tiene alguna información sobre este caso, llame a la línea de Testigo Silencioso (480-TESTIGO, 480-837-8446).

Silent Witness

https://www.silentwitness.org/

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