Chandler Police: Two accused of stealing 21 guns after driving stolen truck through store

CHANDLER, Ariz. (KSAZ) -- Chandler Police officials said Tuesday that two people are under arrest, in connection with an incident where 21 handguns were stolen after a stolen pickup truck was driven through the front entrance of a store in the East Valley city.

According to a statement released by Chandler Police, the incident happened on Monday at a store on the 2800 block of S. Alma School Road. After the stolen red Dodge pickup truck crashed through the store's front entrance, 32-year-old Miguel Gomez and 26-year-old Alicia Gonzalez continued driving in the store to the firearms department, where the two shattered the display case glasses and removed 21 handguns.

Gomez and Gonzalez, according to police, then fled the store on foot to a nearby farm, where they were picked up by an adult female driving a maroon Chevrolet pickup truck. Officers than tried to stop the car along westbound Queen Creek Road, but the driver refused to yield, and a pursuit took place that ended with the three's arrest on the Gila River Indian Reservation.

Officers, according to the statement, recovered 12 of the 21 guns stolen on Tuesday, but the remaining nine guns were found in various locations on the Gila River Indian Community, as of Wednesday.

The three involved, according to police officials, are all members of the Gila River Indian Community, and all are believed to be under the influence of meth at the time of the burglary and pursuit.

Gomez and Gonzalez, according to the statement, were booked into the Maricopa County Jail on a count of 1st Degree Burglary, a count of Criminal Damage, and a count of Theft of Means of Transportation. Gomez, meanwhile, is also booked on an additional count of Unlawful Flight from a Law Enforcement Vehicle. The third woman, who was not identified, was released without charges.

Both Gomez and Gonzales also have numerous arrest warrants out of Chandler and other neighboring jurisdictions, but officials did not elaborate on the nature of the warrants.

As for the store, it was open on Tuesday.

"They got it all cleaned up pretty good, other than the door being torn down," said shopper Tammy Wolf.