Tyler Johnston appears in court (left) and in a mugshot (inset) after his arrest tied to a Valley-wide luxury home burglary spree. Home surveillance footage (right) shows a masked suspect inside one of the targeted residences. (Maricopa County)
PHOENIX - A Scottsdale man is behind bars after allegedly executing a sophisticated, multi-city burglary spree that targeted high-end homes by tracking victims' vacation updates on social media.
What we know:
Police arrested 41-year-old Tyler Lee Johnston early Sunday morning following a joint investigation involving five Valley law enforcement agencies. Authorities suspect Johnston may be connected to anywhere from a dozen to more than 20 residential burglaries across Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Phoenix, Gilbert and Mesa, with stolen property including luxury watches, designer handbags, guns and sports collectibles worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The scheme
According to court documents, Johnston identified wealthy victims through mutual social circles in the Scottsdale hospitality scene and followed their accounts on Instagram. When homeowners posted pictures or videos showing they were traveling out of state or abroad, investigators say Johnston used the updates to confirm the houses were empty before striking.
Court records describe a distinct pattern used throughout a spree of burglaries. Johnston allegedly drove a white Toyota Camry to target homes late at night and routinely disabled the main power breaker boxes to shut off electricity and disable security cameras. His distinct 6-foot-5 frame then allegedly forced entry through rear glass doors or windows while wearing a black ski mask, gloves and dark clothing.
The plunder:
The stolen loot included luxury goods such as Rolex and Cartier watches, designer bags from Louis Vuitton and Chanel, firearms and a signed Kobe Bryant MVP jersey valued at over $100,000. Detectives began closing in on Johnston after tracing stolen custom silver bars to a precious metals shop in Tucson where he reportedly sold them under his real name, along with pawn transactions across the Valley.
Caught in the act
Detectives placed Johnston under active surveillance over the weekend, using police drones and live cell phone location tracking. On Oct. 4, officers watched as he allegedly broke into a Phoenix home through a front window before driving back to his business office on McClintock Drive in Tempe. Police ambushed and arrested Johnston as he got out of his car, still clad in a black ski mask and dark clothing.
What they're saying:
When detectives questioned Johnston, asking what he was doing driving around the Phoenix area late at night, he gave a blunt three-word response: "Being an idiot." Police say he refused to answer any further questions.
Johnston was booked into Maricopa County jail on charges of second-degree burglary and possession of burglary tools, with prosecutors requesting a $100,000 cash bond. Investigators suspect there may be dozens more victims throughout the Phoenix metro area who have not yet been connected to the case. "Scottsdale Police reminds residents to be mindful of what they share publicly on social media while traveling," authorities warned on Wednesday.
Dig deeper:
Search warrants executed at Johnston's home and office yielded additional stolen items, including a rare Jacob & Co. Roulette wheel watch reported missing by a victim days prior.
What we don't know:
Investigators have yet to determine the full extent of unrecovered stolen property, how many additional victims are tied to the spree or what further charges Johnston will face as multi-agency inquiries continue. He's due back in court for a preliminary hearing on Oct. 13.
The Source: Information in this report was gathered from documents filed in Maricopa County Superior Court.