Arrest made in connection with gift gallery break‑in
Staff reports

CAVE CREEK – Authorities late last week arrested a man who allegedly broke into a Cave Creek gift gallery, causing thousands of dollars in damage.

Jim Morgan, owner of Genesis Gift Gallery & Foundry, said Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested the man at approximately 11:30 p.m. on Dec. 1.

“We think there were more” burglars, Morgan told The Desert Advocate.

The sheriff’s office did not return calls placed by the newspaper seeking comment and specific information about the person they have in custody.

The burglars broke a window in order to unlock a door, gaining access to the office of the business but not to the gallery itself.

“They were looking for money and anything they could take,” Morgan said.

The break‑in activated the gallery’s alarm system which notified Morgan and the sheriff’s office.

An MCSO K‑9 unit reportedly caught one individual, an adult male, inside the business.           

The suspect, believed to be an illegal immigrant, allegedly had a knife and what appeared to be a makeshift machete in his possession, according to the gallery owner.

Morgan related that the burglars damaged the gallery’s electrical system in addition to an estimated $1,000 damage to the window. The break‑in forced him to close the gallery for three days, exacerbating his losses.

Although the gallery, located at 6501 E. Cave Creek Road, has since reopened, the business is still having computer problems.        

“We still can only get one computer running out of five,” Morgan said.

Days before the break‑in, someone triggered the gallery’s outdoor motion detectors twice, he added. “I think they were casing the joint,” Morgan said.