Several Phoenix fire stations were burglarized over the past few week and a veteran Phoenix firefighter has been arrested in connected with the crimes.
Ryan Donahue, 36, was arrested Friday. He was booked on eight counts of theft, two counts of arson, one count of burglary and one count of criminal damage.
Donahue has been with the Phoenix Fire Department for 11 years.
Sgt. Alan Pfohl, with the Phoenix Police Department, said Donahue is suspected of stealing cash from other firefighters’ wallets while the fire engines were out of the station.
"He had access to all of the fire stations,” Pfohl said. “He was never assigned to a particular station. He would just go where needed. So, he’s familiar with how a fire station works, where the entry points are and we didn’t find any signs of forced entry."
Pfohl said roughly 18 stations have been affected by crimes this year, but not all of them are linked to Donahue, who admitted to eight of them. Pfohl said the suspect was caught in one of the acts by officers, and then admitted to other crimes.
