Buckeye police track down suspect in string of home, vehicle burglaries

PHOENIX – A man wanted for a string of West Valley vehicle and home break-ins was arrested this week, authorities said.

Paul R. A. Tafoya, 23, was identified as a suspect last month but remained on the loose until Tuesday, when Buckeye police officers caught up to him, according to a city press release.

He was booked into the Fourth Avenue Jail in Phoenix on three counts of theft, three counts of third-degree burglary and one count each of second-degree burglary and resisting arrest.

On Oct. 25, police were called to investigate one home and multiple vehicle burglaries in the Sundance retirement community.

One victim had chased a suspect out of his garage and taken photos of the suspect’s vehicle, police said.

Police located the vehicle and saw Tafoya get out and run into a nearby home. Officers obtained a search warrant and found stolen property inside, but Tafoya was gone.

Police tracked him down Tuesday and saw him get into a car on the passenger side. When they stopped the car on Watson Road north of Interstate 10, Tafoya fled on foot and jumped a chain-link fence, police said.

Officers ran him down and took him into custody.

Police said he admitted to burglarizing more than a dozen vehicles Oct. 25.

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