By Jon Johnson
SAFFORD – The juveniles who were involved in the theft of a 2004 Yamaha Banshee ATV and a Nissan sedan are now suspected in a third vehicle theft from the same time period.
On Monday, June 25, officers took a report from the Safford Pool manager, who advised his white, 2005 Nissan Pathfinder was stolen from the pool.
The manager said he had assisted lifeguards with a child having seizures June 20 and when he returned to his guard shack he noticed the money drawer was open and some cash was missing. He also noticed that his keys that he had in the same area also were missing.
Thinking he might have misplaced his keys, the manager then left his vehicle parked at the pool. The manager had to go out of town, but lifeguards informed him that his SUV was still there Friday night but was gone when they checked in for work Saturday, June 23.
In the early morning hours of Monday, June 25, Safford Police arrested two juvenile brothers – both 13 – who were allegedly involved in the theft of an ATV and a Nissan sedan. One of the brothers was caught fleeing from the sedan after a high-speed chase and the other was caught with the ATV at his residence. A third suspect – a 14-year-old juvenile – was not apprehended. The article on that story can be read here.
In the early morning of Tuesday, June 26, an officer located the stolen Pathfinder at about 1:17 a.m. in an alley behind 10th Street.
Officers observed footprints leading away from the Pathfinder through the alley to a residence on 10th Street where they had located the stolen ATV the previous day. The footprints were also matched to footprints located on the SUV’s running board and passenger’s side front door.
The SUV was then towed to the Safford City Yard and secured for detectives to investigate for further evidence.
The case is still under investigation, but it appears that at least some of the same juveniles who were involved with the ATV and sedan thefts also took the Pathfinder.
