Police make arrest in burglary at Katie Hobbs’ campaign headquarters
Phoenix police have recognized the person arrested in reference to the break-in of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Katie Hobbs’ campaign headquarters in Phoenix.
That man, Daniel Mota Dos Reis, 36, was already in jail. He was first arrested Wednesday morning for a separate industrial burglary, in response to a police assertion.
The break-in at Hobbs’ office was reported to police on Tuesday afternoon, and police mentioned it occurred someday the evening earlier than.
An officer noticed photos of Mota Dos Reis on the information on Wednesday evening and acknowledged him from the prior incident, the police assertion mentioned. The officer reached out to the jail and the division rearrested him.
He was booked on suspicion of third-degree burglary, the police assertion mentioned.
It is not clear what was taken from the campaign office, however Mota Dos Reis had a backpack with instruments used for burglaries together with a brand new digicam when he was first arrested Wednesday. A Hobbs campaign spokesperson beforehand mentioned nobody was at the office at the time of the break-in and a number of other gadgets have been taken.
Hobbs’ campaign had launched pictures of a suspect to information shops Wednesday, and police introduced that they had made an arrest Thursday morning however didn’t present particulars till later in the day.
At a campaign cease with Planned Parenthood leaders earlier than police named Mota Dos Reis, Hobbs declined to handle information of the arrest or answer a question about what was taken from her campaign headquarters.
“We are very thankful that the Phoenix Police Department acted so quickly to arrest a suspect,” Nicole DeMont, Hobbs’ campaign supervisor, mentioned in a press release. “We will continue to cooperate with law enforcement as this investigation unfolds.”
The incident sparked a disagreement between the candidates hoping to exchange term-limited Republican Gov. Doug Ducey.
Hobbs’ preliminary campaign assertion on Wednesday implied that Republican nominee Kari Lake, the previous Fox 10 information anchor, and her supporters contributed to the incident by “spreading dangerous misinformation and inciting threats against anyone they see fit.”
Lake told CNN that the assertion was “absolutely absurd” and that “this sounds like Jussie Smollett part two.” Smollett is an actor who was convicted earlier this year of mendacity to police and making up a hate crime hoax.
The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com didn’t publish Hobbs’ claims about her opponent, however nonetheless Lake blasted the information group and others in a information convention on Thursday for spreading what she known as a defamatory assertion.
Lake alleged the media was working towards conservatives. She refused to take a question from The Republic.
Hobbs’ campaign, in the meantime, continued to level a finger at Lake.
“Let me be clear, Kari Lake’s preposterous allegation that this break-in was staged is unfounded and her refusal to condemn the threats that have become common in our politics continues to stoke chaos,” DeMont mentioned.
Reach reporter Taylor Seely at [email protected] or 480-476-6116. Follow her on Twitter @taylorseely95 or Instagram @taylor.azc.
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