TEMPE, AZ — A trio of burglars have been caught after allegedly taking $56,000 in designer handbags, and they may be linked to several other East Valley burglaries.
Tempe police report that on December 5 they arrested Rachel Marie Encinas, 23, Catherine Hermes, 43 and Anthony Mario Gammon, 25 in an apartment near Rural Road and University Drive.
Police say the trio stole jewelry, electronics, cash and 25 high-end designer handbags with a value of over $56,000. Also taken in the theft was a Nordstrom credit card.
The credit card was allegedly used 12 times at various stores. Police used store surveillance video to identify the suspects. When the suspects returned to one of the stores, employees were able to get a license plate number on their vehicle.
Police say they also found 13 of the stolen bags pawned at a local pawn shop.
During a search of the suspect’s home police reportedly found evidence of other burglaries occurring in Tempe, Chandler and Mesa, including another $14,000 worth of designer bags and jewelry.
Police placed a tracking device on the suspect's car and tracked them as they reportedly stole more items from a home in Mesa including a 2009 Land Rover.
The stolen credit card was allegedly found in Gammon’s wallet.
So far, they are being charged with several counts of trafficking in stolen property, however, detectives are continuing to investigate.
