SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The Scottsdale Police Department is investigating a series of dinnertime burglaries reported over the last couple of months at homes located near golf courses and washes.
Since November 2023, the police department has responded to at least 21 burglaries that occurred in the early evening hours, typically when the homeowners weren't present.
The burglars often stole smaller items with a high cash value like purses and jewelry.
Police said 18 incidents occurred in the Foothills District area (Cactus Road north to Cave Creek Road) and three incidents were reported in the Via Linda District neighborhoods (Cactus Road south to McDonald Road).
The police department said it is dedicating more resources to the burglary trend.
To prevent more burglaries, residents are encouraged to join a neighborhood watch group or consider installing motion-sensor lights on their property.
Anyone with information about these incidents can contact Scottsdale police at 480-312-5000.
UP TO SPEED
How big is Maricopa County?
Maricopa County is the United States’ 4th largest county in terms of population with 4,485,414 people, according to the 2020 Census.
The county contains around 63% of Arizona’s population and is 9,224 square miles. That makes the county larger than seven U.S. states (Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, Massachusetts and New Hampshire).
One of the largest park systems in the nation is also located in Maricopa County. The county has an estimated 120,000 acres of open space parks that includes hundreds of miles of trails, nature centers and campgrounds.
The county’s seat is located in Phoenix, which is also the state capital and the census-designated 5th most populous city in the United States.
The county was named after the Maricopa, or Piipaash, Native American Tribe.