Thieves armed with AK-47 weapons steal truck west of Phoenix

WADDELL, AZ (AZFamily) — The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office is investigating at least two vehicle thefts in the Waddell area, including one caught on video where a thief is seen carrying an AK-47-style rifle.

On Wednesday, the Sheriff’s Office reported two recent car thefts near Citrus Road and Peoria Avenue, including one captured by a Ring security camera mounted above a driveway.

In the video, a white Chevrolet Camaro pulls up to the house and two masked suspects get one. One begins to get into a van parked in the driveway, while the other is seen pointing a rifle at the front door of the house.

“They knew they were going to disappear. In and out, five minutes, with hoods and gloves, knowing they weren’t going to get caught,” said resident Michael Florent. “and if I had gone out, they would have shot me.”

The video clip shows one of the thieves starting the truck while the armed suspect jumps into the back seat. The two vehicles then leave.

This incident occurred around 2:30 a.m., followed shortly after by another truck theft.

“Yeah, it stinks. You don’t think it will happen to you,” Florent said. “You work hard. You do your job and something like this happens.

Wireless key fobs are the latest target for tech-savvy thieves, who use tablets to break into cars, disconnect them from OnStar and drive away without the keys.

“It’s just scary that anyone can just plug a little tablet into your data port, start your truck and drive away,” Florent said.

The sheriff’s office said it was investigating a home break-in that occurred near 79th and Peoria Avenue on an island in the county. Investigators cannot confirm whether the thefts and break-ins involve organized groups or copycats, or even whether the cases are linked.

Detectives devote additional resources and gather intelligence from other law enforcement agencies investigating similar cases.

The Sheriff’s Office is urging anyone with information to call its TIPS line at 602-876-TIPS (8477) or 602-876-1011.

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