Phoenix police officers patrolling Ahwatukee Foothills have noticed a sudden, dramatic increase in the number of stolen Ford-250 and -350 pickup trucks.

Thieves taking advantage of the current market’s high copper prices by selling stolen wire from freeway light fixtures to scrap metal dealers — causing safety hazards by the resulting darkened urban highways — are being thwarted on two fronts.

Tempe police arrested a couple of suspected female copper thieves on bikes Monday.

December 17, 2004

A pet peeve of County Attorney Andrew Thomas is the relative leniency of the judicial system toward so-called property crimes.

A pet peeve of County Attorney Andrew Thomas is the relative leniency of the judicial system toward so-called property crimes.

November 5, 2004

If you’re a Mesa resident and streetlights in your neighborhood are out, blame your neighbors to the east.

In a brazen Hollywood-style robbery, two men in ski masks stormed into a high-fashion store in Tempe, fired a shot into the ceiling and demanded cash.

The tut-tutting environmentalists who disapprove of SUVs and want to cram us all into little hybrid-powered econoboxes have truly got their work cut out for them.

The two men take off in a stolen car, and immediately talk turns to how much the car is worth and what it might sell for.

Addicted as we are to our online life and our mobile devices, it’s no surprise that a growing number of cybercriminals are lurking out there with us.

Addicted as we are to our online life and our mobile devices, it’s no surprise that a growing number of cybercriminals are lurking out there with us.

Ahwatukee Foothills resident Barry Eager says he monitors the gas mileage of his Ford F150 truck and was puzzled when the tank kept turning up dozens of miles short.

Thieves burglarized at least five cars and trucks in a central Ahwatukee Foothills neighborhood overnight last Wednesday, smashing windows and stealing thousands of dollars worth of stereo equipment, according to victims.

Mesa Mayor Scott Smith is appealing to residents to watch for suspicious activity in city parks after thieves recently tore out $50,000 worth of copper wiring. The thefts have left some parks dark at night when various youth sports are scheduled, forcing organizations to cancel tournaments.

Police agencies say bait cars will be parked at malls and busy shopping centers over the holidays, ready for thieves to hop in and take off.

In the wake of a spate of thefts in homes targeting senior citizens, the Mesa and Tempe police departments warned residents Monday to be wary of allowing strangers into their homes.

The equation is simple. Larger gas tanks hold more gasoline. Gas thieves have caught on, and are targeting East Valley businesses that house these large vehicles.

Scottsdale officials are warning residents of an incident involving robbers who posed as city water workers.