WADDELL, Ariz. — Car thieves armed with a semi-automatic rifle targeted one Waddell neighborhood Wednesday morning. With ease, the thieves broke into Michael Florant's locked Chevy truck, backed it out of his driveway and drove away.
“They jimmy the lock, got the door open, then he had a tablet computer around his neck plugged into the data port, started the truck, and they were gone," Florant said.
Florant was sound asleep when at least three people rolled up on his house in a white Camaro just before 2:30 a.m. Two masked and gloved thieves got out of the car and within two minutes, had access to his truck and drove off with it.
His home security system captured it all on video. As one thief uses a device to break open the front door of the truck, another points a loaded semi-automatic rifle at the front door of his home. Florant believes he was ready to fire if someone caught them in the act.
“I'd be dead because, you know, unlike the movies, bullets don't bounce off houses. That AK 47 7.62 millimeter round would have sprayed right through the stucco. I wouldn't be standing here today if I walked outside," Florant said.
The Waddell homeowner believes the theft may be tied to others across the state by this same group of criminals.
“I was mad. You don't ever think it would happen to you, not in a nice neighborhood, but anybody's victim. You know, anyone can be a victim. These vehicles are being targeted," Florant said.
The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office's Major Crimes Division is investigating this truck theft and another near Florant's house, both of which happened early Wednesday morning. At this point in their investigation, the department said it cannot say with certainty if it is dealing with an organized crime group or copycat criminals.
Florant said he did not doubt that these thieves were professionals, evidenced by the ease with which they were able to take off with his new truck.
“These guys are organized. They're not worried about getting caught. They don't think they're ever going to get caught," he said.
He's now calling on federal law enforcement agencies, like the FBI or ATF, to get involved and aid the sheriff's office in their investigation, even if his truck is never seen again.
“I'm not hopeful. I mean, you can't catch a ghost, but I don't think it should be left up to local police. I think the federal government needs to step in to do something," Florant said.
If you have any information on this crime, MCSO is asking people to send in a tip or call 602-876-1011. You can also remain anonymous by calling 602-876-TIPS.
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