Tucson police arrested a group of teenagers Tuesday who were suspected of stealing from the same midtown convenience store 17 times in five months, police said.
Fourteen people, including 11 minors, are facing felony burglary charges after they were accused of stealing from the Circle K at 2750 N. Tucson Blvd. between October and February, said Sgt. Diana Lopez, a Tucson Police Department spokeswoman.
Some of the suspects are facing eight charges of felony burglary, Lopez said.
The three adults were booked into Pima County jail. Their names were not available, she said.
The minors were either released to their parents or booked into Pima County Juvenile Detention Center, she said.
The arrests were the culmination of several investigations into the burglaries that began in October, she said.
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Tucson police determined all of the suspects, who are between 15-19 years-old, were part of the same group, she said.
Police are still looking for up to nine suspects, including five who were not located Tuesday, she said.
Some of the teens have gang affiliations, she said.
The suspects were arrested at various locations around Tucson, she said.
The thefts started when the suspects would steal some items from behind the counter and run out of the store, she said.
Once they realized the store clerks would not retaliate, they became more brazen in the burglaries, she said.
“They would go in one-by-one behind the counter” and steal items, she said.
The suspects might have been emboldened because they thought they would only face shoplifting charges, she said.
“If you enter a restricted access area, it’s now considered a burglary felony count,” she said.
Contact reporter Jamar Younger at 573-4115 or jyounger@azstarnet.com.
