PHOENIX — Two suspects have been arrested following a months-long investigation into a string of burglaries at Family Dollars across the Valley. The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office announced their indictments Wednesday.
The Phoenix Police Department announced Thursday that Yosvanys Martinez, 34, and Alexei Alvarez, 40, have been taken into custody on suspicion of stealing up to $315,000 and causing about $150,000 in property damage.
Up to nine Family Dollar stores have been burglarized in Phoenix and Glendale since March 2024, police said.
“It wasn’t for a lack of effort by investigators or our patrol people," Phoenix Police Sgt. Michael Hayes said. "It was just the fact that they were a little bit more advanced than the typical commercial burglary suspect that we’re used to seeing.”
The alleged burglars are accused of cutting the power to multiple Family Dollar stores, disabling the video surveillance system and breaking into the store's safe.
“When they could, they would take the safe in its entirety. Other times, they would use tools to cut into the safe to access the currency that was inside," Hayes said.
In late September, investigators identified a potential suspect vehicle that was spotted at two Family Dollar locations. Police said the vehicle was connected to Martinez.
On Sept. 30, the suspects were allegedly seen casing a Family Dollar store after business hours but they failed to get inside, police said.
The two suspects were arrested on Oct. 4. Investigators searched their homes and allegedly found $40,000 in cash, security uniforms and burglary tools.
“It just took awhile to finally catch a break and be able to identify them and observe them actually in the commission of these crimes, author search warrants, and recovery property and evidence related to this," Hayes said.
Martinez and Alvarez were each indicted on ten counts of third-degree burglary, one county of attempted burglary and two counts of possessing burglary tools. All of the charges are felonies.
Martinez is also facing charges for other financial crimes.
Court records reveal investigators found items used to clone bank cards while conducting the initial search warrant.
Police don't yet know why Family Dollar stores were targeted in this string of burglaries.
Their trial is tentatively set for March, 2025.
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