Three people were detained after authorities say they spent nearly two months breaking into construction site storage containers around the West Valley and Pinal County, stealing thousands of dollars worth of paint.
Jose Zepeda Zepeda, 28, Rogelio Zepeda Zepeda, 32, and Nicole Gallardo, 21, were arrested July 15 during a traffic stop in Goodyear.
According to court filings, the group targeted secured metal storage containers known as conex boxes on active construction sites, cutting the locks with saws and bolt cutters and stealing 5-gallon buckets of paint.
Investigators linked the trio to at least seven burglaries in Goodyear, Surprise, Buckeye, and Pinal counties between June 4 and July 5, totaling more than $38,000.
According to investigators, the case broke open when an employee of one of the victim companies, SDC Inc., placed an Apple AirTag inside one of their paint buckets following previous burglaries.
The tag directed authorities to an Avondale apartment complex on Avondale Boulevard and Roosevelt Street, where one of the suspect vehicles, a white Toyota 4-Runner, was parked outside.
According to court documents, license plate reader data, GPS tracking warrants, and cell phone records all indicated that the suspects were present at or near each burglary scene.
FLOCK cameras in Pinal County, Glendale, Buckeye, and Surprise revealed that one of the suspects’ cars, a Toyota Tundra, was loaded with numerous 5-gallon paint buckets in the truck’s bed. In several incidents, the Tundra and 4-Runner were allegedly seen riding together.
Investigators discovered that all three suspects were former employees of Roadrunner Drywall and Paint, which was one of the businesses targeted by the burglaries. Court documents detailed how the burglaries appeared to happen after Sherwin-Williams delivered paint to project sites, implying that the suspects “had knowledge of where the paint was being stored.”
In an interview with police, the three suspects allegedly admitted to carrying out the crimes, claiming detectives they sold the stolen paint for $25 to $40 per 5-gallon bucket. They claimed they did it to pay expenses because “they don’t get paid enough at their job,” according to court filings.
Authorities searched Gallardo’s Phoenix house, as well as the two men’s Avondale apartment and storage facility. Investigators discovered 270 five-gallon paint buckets, bolt cutters, and cut locks, which they believe were utilized in the crimes.
A fourth suspect is believed to be in Mexico and has yet to be located.
The trio was charged with six counts of burglary and one count of trafficking stolen property.
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