PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) — A New Jersey man is accused of pretending to be a utility worker before going inside Phoenix residents’ homes and stealing their personal items.
Police say 29-year-old Anthony Miguel was arrested for the string of burglaries on Sunday afternoon. Arizona’s Family previously reported a story about a thief, who investigators later identified as Miguel, who was posing as a utility worker checking for water contamination. Yoshiko Buckmaster was among those who had sentimental items reportedly stolen by Miguel. The widow says Miguel was wearing a badge, posing as an employee with Arizona Water Services before he snuck into her bedroom and stole jewelry given to her by her late husband. Family members confirmed with Arizona’s Family on Tuesday that Miguel was the one that went into Buckmaster’s home.
Police say surveillance video from a nearby business captured Miguel wearing a green fanny pack and a baseball hat during one of the burglaries. On Sunday, Miguel was taken into custody at an apartment near Tatum Boulevard and Greenway Road after he matched the suspect’s description officers were given. Court documents say police found Miguel sitting inside his gold Dodge Caravan with the green fanny pack and jewelry sitting on the passenger seat. Police searched Miguel’s van and found both the badge and the jewelry. Investigators say officers also found stolen credit cards in his apartment.
In an interview with police, Miguel reportedly kept giving officers a fake name and saying he didn’t know his social security number. Officers then warned him that he was a suspect in the burglary investigation, but police say he kept giving a fake name. Finally, investigators found his true identity through a fingerprint match and found he had warrants out of New Jersey and Texas.
Court documents say Miguel continued to deny being involved in the burglaries, but two victims were able to identify him as the fake utility worker who came into their homes. Miguel was booked on five counts of second-degree burglary and one count of obstruction.
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