Phoenix city employee arrested, indicted for alleged theft and fraud

PHOENIX (KSAZ) - A 48-year-old male Phoenix city employee has been arrested, and accused of stealing copper and selling it for profit.

According to a statement released by Phoenix Police, Guadalupe Rincon was arrested on Tuesday. According to the statement, Rincon is suspected of fraudulently orderly copper tubing under the City of Phoenix's account, and then selling it at an area scrap yard for personal gain.

According to the statement, the city's Water Department notified police in August 2016 about suspicious activity involving an employee, and suspected theft of copper tubing. Officers, according to the statement, was later suspected for the theft.

On August 18, police said they worked with the water department, and followed Rincon as he created a new supply order, picked up three pallets of copper piping valued at $26,000, and sold it at a Glendale scrap yard. Rincon, according to police, was arrested for that particular incident on August 19, and was terminated as a city employee.

According to police, subsequent investigation led police to believe Rincon allegedly committed multiple thefts between July of 2015, to the August 2016 incident that led to his arrest. According to police, evidence shows Rincon was living beyond his means, with frequent and extravagant travel, gifts, and other expensive purchases.

Rincon, according to the statement, was indicted on Tuesday, and was arrested and booked into the Maricopa County Jail on 27 counts of alleged theft, 27 counts of alleged forgery, and one count of alleged fraud schemes.

The total value of the copper allegedly stolen, according to police, is just under $500,000.