PHOENIX — Three men have been arrested in connection with a series of jewelry store burglaries across the Phoenix area that netted thousands of dollars in stolen merchandise, according to court documents filed in Maricopa County Superior Court.
Gerard Lavon Segers, Alexander Townsend, and Eric Waller face multiple felony charges, including burglary in the third degree and possession of burglary tools. Segers also faces a weapons charge for allegedly possessing a firearm as a prohibited person.
The arrests stem from three separate jewelry store burglaries that occurred between August and September 2025, with investigators using DNA evidence, fingerprints, and surveillance footage to link the suspects to the crimes. ABC15 obtained surveillance video of the heists in December following a September public records request.
Court records say ithe nvestigation began on Aug. 14, 2025, when two suspects burglarized a jewelry store in Sun City. Surveillance cameras captured the men breaking a window with a hammer and stealing jewelry from display cases.
A crucial break came when investigators found a droplet of blood inside the store. DNA testing by the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office crime lab matched the blood to Segers, according to court documents.
Traffic camera footage also showed Segers' Dodge Ram pickup truck near the crime scene approximately 26 minutes before the burglary occurred.
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The suspects allegedly struck again on Sept. 2 and Sept. 6 in Litchfield Park. Security footage showed four individuals arriving in a black Volkswagen, with three entering the store while one remained as a lookout.
During the Sept. 6 burglary, investigators recovered fingerprint evidence from a piece of shattered window glass. The print was later identified as belonging to Segers.
The final burglary occurred on Sept. 24 in Phoenix. By this time, investigators had obtained a GPS tracking warrant for the Volkswagen and were conducting surveillance.
On Sept. 24, detectives watched as the Volkswagen stopped in front of the jewelry store. Within minutes, the suspects had broken the front door glass and fled with stolen merchandise.
Hours later, a SWAT team executed a search warrant at Segers’ home in Phoenix, where all three suspects were arrested along with two other individuals.
According to court paperwork, the search yielded significant evidence, including:
- Nine jewelry tags in the kitchen trash can matching victim inventory logs
- Three gray metal cylindrical objects used to break windows
- Black pillowcases used to carry stolen items
- Clothing and masks matching those seen in surveillance footage
- Multiple pieces of stolen jewelry with tags still attached
- A 3-pound sledgehammer in the Volkswagen
- An SCCY handgun in Segers' bedroom
- Additional evidence links suspects
- Investigators found glass shards embedded in the soles of Townsend's shoes, and DNA testing linked Waller to a skull-faced mask found at the residence.
Waller initially provided false identification, giving the name Sean Sims, before fingerprint analysis revealed his true identity.
The stolen merchandise was valued at approximately $7,000, according to court documents.
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