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Chandler police arrest 12 in retail thefts
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Chandler police arrested 12 people Tuesday in breaking up a retail theft ring, police said.
One of the suspects arrested was Eliseo Mendoza Sandoval, 30, who police dubbed as the "Eyeglass burglar."
Police suspect him of breaking into more than 20 optometry offices in Chandler, Gilbert, Phoenix and Scottsdale.
According to Sgt. Joe Favazzo, Chandler police spokesman, investigators recovered 120 pairs of glasses ranging in price from $500 to $1,000 a pair.
Police released surveillance video of one of the optometry office burglaries in June, which generated leads, Favazzo said.
Mendoza also was involved in changing car titles, police said, and he had the help of Adrianna Sanchez, 28, who used her position at a third-party title company to process fraudulent titles.
Undercover officers infiltrated the group by posing as fences, or people who buy and sell stolen goods.
The investigation cleared 25 residential and business burglaries and recovered an estimated $100,000 in property.
"This is going to wound them for a long time," Favazzo said.
Suspects were booked on charges of burglary, theft, trafficking in stolen property, passing counterfeit currency, tampering with motor vehicle records and various drug offenses.
Also arrested were Mary Jo Sandoval, 30; Victorio Meneses Jr., 28; Cheryl Lynn Walsch, 43; Sean Gilman, 41; Hector David Valencia, 17; Ivan Nevarez, 24; Damian Neverez, 18; Elizabeth Jo Gloria, 22; Jason Walsch, 21; and Johnny Escobedo, 18.
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