Men accused of stealing more than $30,000 worth of goods from Goodyear ballpark
GOODYEAR, Ariz. (FOX 10) -- Two men have been arrested, after authorities accused them of stealing thousands of dollars worth of stuff from the ballpark in Goodyear shared by the Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Indians.
The two, identified as 23-year-old Dustin Washburn and 30-year-old Stephen Peers, are accused of hitting the parks three different times, and they were linked thanks to facial recognition and surveillance video. Both suspects are at the 4th Avenue Jail and charged with burglary, theft and drug possession, among other charges.
Goodyear Police investigators were led to the suspects, after the two tried to sell the stolen goods on OfferUp. According to police, the first incident happened on April 6, when several flatscreen TV sets were stolen. The next incident happened on April 14, when Washburn and Peers are suspected of breaking into a locked maintenance area and stealing a leaf blower. The third incident happened early in the morning on April 29.
According to court paperwork, employees reported seeing the two running from the facility, as they were showing up to work. Officials with the Cincinnati Reds estimated more than $30,000 worth of items were stolen, including laptops, speed radar guns, and 30 pairs of shoes and cleats. Most of the stolen goods were found on-property, in duffle bags.
Goodyear Police officials say they caught the two, after detectives discovered some of the stolen items up for sale online.
"Our officers did arrange to buy some merchandise from these individuals. In the course of their meeting, these individuals showed up in the same vehicle they had found on the surveillance video. They were still wearing the same clothes they were wearing earlier during the burglary, and the arrest was made," said Lisa Berry.
Police officials said they have linked the men to all three burglaries, and the suspects, who admitted to the crimes, said they have a drug problem. Washburn was employed by Professional Sports Catering, who catered food to the Cincinnati Reds Stadium. FOX 10 has reached out to the company, and company officials said Washburn hasn't worked for them in quite some time, and he was not employed at the time of the incidents.