$2.5M Luxury Car Theft Ring Busted

Authorities recovered 29 stolen luxury vehicles valued at nearly $2.5 million, along with cash and weapons, during Operation Escalading Switch last week in the Phoenix Valley.

The stolen vehicles included an Aston Martin DBX, a Rolls-Royce Ghost, a Mercedes-Benz G-Class, a C8-gen Corvette Stingray, and multiple Cadillac Escalades.

Three suspects arrested in Glendale face several felony charges for vehicle theft, VIN tampering, and posting the stolen cars on the Turo car-sharing platform.

Turo stated the suspects had “insider access to the Arizona Department of Motor Vehicles” that enabled them to disguise the stolen cars as legitimate rentals.

Barnes & Noble Makes Comeback

Barnes & Noble will open its first new Phoenix-area store in 20 years, marking a turnaround after years of nationwide closures.

The book retailer will host a grand opening on June 25 for the store, located in a former Forever 21 space at The Shops at Town & Country shopping center.

Nationally, Barnes & Noble opened more stores last year than between 2009 and 2019, and expects to add more than 60 stores in 2025.

The company credits changes made to better meet customers’ needs, including ending a policy that let publishers pay for prime shelf space, which often led to shelves filled with books of less interest to shoppers.

Unmanned Helicopter Tested

Aerospace company Honeywell conducted a successful test flight of an unmanned helicopter over Arizona, a major step in the development of autonomous, military-ready aircraft.

Honeywell said the Arizona test aimed to gauge the chopper’s software performance in avoiding obstacles and coordinating with military logistics teams.

Long-term plans for the aircraft include conducting military supply runs and aiding in troop support roles, including medical evacuations.

In February, the U.S. Marine Corps outlined a strategy to increase the use of autonomous aircraft and artificial intelligence in its operations.

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➤ Statewide: Lawmakers gave varied reactions to the U.S. strike on Iran, with Republican U.S. Rep. Juan Ciscomani, R-Tucson, supportive and Democratic U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego critical. (More)

➤ New River: The man arrested for allegedly killing Pastor Bill Shonemann gave a jailhouse interview, confessing to the crime and claiming he intended to murder more than a dozen religious leaders. (Watch; Warning-Graphic Details)

➤ Sahuarita: The FBI and ATF are investigating a third unexploded device found in the past two weeks. Officials called the devices “extremely dangerous.” (Watch)

➤ Statewide: Gov. Katie Hobbs said she’ll veto “any kind of partisan continuation budget” as a June 30 deadline approaches. The Republican-led state Senate passed a $17.6 billion plan, which now goes to the state House for consideration. (More)

➤ Salt River: A man was struck in the arm by a stray bullet that came through his home in an area where shootings have increased in recent months. (Watch)

➤ Gilbert: Colorado murder suspect Barry Morphew was re-arrested following the discovery of his wife’s body three years after she vanished. (Watch)

➤ The Phoenix Suns traded Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, and six 2025 draft picks. (More)

➤ Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suárez hit his 300th career home run, becoming the 12th active player to reach the milestone. (Watch)

➤ The state Senate voted to use sales taxes from Chase Field and income taxes from the Arizona Diamondbacks for stadium repairs and upgrades. The measure heads to the state House. (Watch)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | NCAAB | WNBA | Soccer | PGA | LPGA | NASCAR | INDY

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➤ U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Phoenix, criticized Fry’s Food Stores after an investigation found the company allegedly overcharged customers nationwide. Fry’s called the claims “misinformation.” (Watch)

➤ A jury found former Phoenix news anchor and Blueacorn co-founder Stephanie Hockridge guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud to obtain forgivable COVID-era loans. (Watch)

➤ A study found Glendale leads the Phoenix area in the share of renters vs. homeowners, with renters now making up more than 42% of the suburb’s households. (Watch)

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➤ A Chandler Unified summer program hopes to help children bridge social and academic gaps before kindergarten, addressing delays tied to the COVID-19 lockdown period. (More)

➤ A woman hiking Piestewa Peak filmed a rare ringtail cat, which is Arizona’s state mammal, and posted the video online, where it’s topped 28,000 views. (Watch)

➤ A meteorologist described a dust devil on Saturday in San Tan Valley as “one of the largest” he’s ever seen. (Watch)

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Who from the O.K. Corral gunfight would you most like to interview?

1. Earp brothers
2. Doc Holliday
   
3. Clanton-McLaury gang
4. Sheriff John Behan
5. A bystander
6. None/other

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What’s the lowest temperature you consider too hot?

1. 110°+: 35%
2. 105°: 15%
3. 100°: 14%
4. 95°: 12%
5. 90°: 12%
6. Less than 90°: 12%

Which city is known as the Hummingbird Capital of the U.S.?

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