Arizona home burglaries linked to social media posts during vacations
Scottsdale man targeted homes via social media, investigators say
A suspect allegedly tracked vacation updates to commit home break-ins. FOX 10's Jacob Luthi has the details.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Vacation photos can share more than a snapshot of a getaway. They can also signal when a home is empty, giving burglars potential clues about when to strike.
The warning comes as Scottsdale police investigate an alleged Valley-wide burglary spree involving a suspect accused of using social media to track homeowners’ travel plans.
Local perspective:
Austin, one of the alleged victims, said he was in Atlanta in January when he was alerted to an attempted break-in at his home. A month later, while attending a Super Bowl party, he learned someone had broken into his house.
"They stole about six figures of jewelry and watches from my wife and I," Austin said.
He said he has since spoken with more than 10 other people who reported similar burglaries while they were out of town.
Authorities have arrested 41-year-old Tyler Lee Johnston, a Scottsdale man suspected of being connected to more than a dozen residential burglaries across Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Phoenix, Gilbert and Mesa. Investigators say stolen property included luxury items worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
‘One of the worst things you can do’
For Sean, another alleged victim who spoke with FOX 10, the impact of a burglary extends beyond the property taken.
"Entering somebody's home at their sacred place is one of the worst things you can do. And this guy was making a career out of it," Sean said.
Scottsdale man stalked rich friends on Instagram to pull off $400K+ house burglaries, police say
Cops say Tyler Johnston stalked rich friends on Instagram to loot their mansions—stealing Rolexes, guns, designer bags, and a $100K Kobe Bryant jersey after cutting their power while they were away on vacation.
Dig deeper:
Jeff Welch, CEO of Arizona security consulting firm Grab the Axe, said social media can make it easier for criminals to identify potential targets without physically watching a home.
"Your vacation should not be an invitation," Welch said.
Welch said a single post can reveal where someone is, how long they may be gone and, when other people are tagged, which additional homes may be unoccupied.
"It's a lot easier, actually, than going out and casing a house. I can sit at home and do it on my phone," Welch said.
Even private social media accounts can expose travel plans to a wide circle of friends and acquaintances, he said.
"Even if you have a private Facebook or a private Instagram," Welch said. "There's no need for 200 people that may be friends or acquaintances to actually have access to your travel plans."
Tyler Lee Johnston appears before a judge. (Maricopa County Superior Court)
What you can do:
Before leaving town, Welch recommends arranging deliveries around the trip, alerting trusted neighbors and turning off location services on social media apps.
He also recommends strengthening home security with cameras that have backup battery power, overlapping motion-sensor lights and security sensors on entry points, including doors and windows.
Welch said homeowners should also check their existing security equipment. While doorbell cameras have become common, he said some people let subscriptions lapse or fail to maintain enough video storage to review footage from previous days — potentially missing signs that someone was watching their property.
Investigators are still working to identify additional victims and recover stolen property.
The Source: Information in this report was gathered from Austin, a burglary victim; Jeff Welch, CEO of Grab the Axe; Sean, a burglary victim; and police investigators.