On July 15, 2021, at about 0137 AM, Sahuarita Patrol Officers responded to the 18700 block of Avenida Paso Cortito a report of a male attempting to gain entry into a vehicle parked in the driveway of a home. A security camera captured images of the male, and the homeowner chased off the suspect.
Officers searched the area but were unable to locate the suspect. Beginning at around 6:00 a.m., the department received multiple reports of vehicles (having been) rummaged through (overnight) and items, including a firearm, being stolen.
On July 16, 2021, at about 12:45 a.m., officers were dispatched to the Circle K at 18675 N. Nogales Hwy for a report of shoplifting. The responding officer recognized the suspect to be the same one from the earlier vehicle thefts. At around 5:00 a.m., this same suspect returned to Circle K, and the officer took him into custody. SPD detectives were notified and took over the investigation. A search warrant was served at a residence this afternoon in the 1100 block of Camino Hombre Viejo.
The suspect, who is a 16-year-old juvenile male, was arrested and booked into the Pima County Juvenile detention center on multiple counts of burglary and weapons charges. Officers were able to retrieve multiple stolen items and are currently in the process of identifying their owners. The firearm that was stolen has been recovered.