Dad Brings Along 10-Year-Old Son for a Poorly Planned Jewelry Heist
Criminal masterminds these two were not.
When planning family bonding time, most probably don’t consider taking their child on a jewelry heist, but that’s exactly what Jean Zintz did. The 31-year-old took his 10-year-old son to Mesa Arts Center earlier this month to burglarize it. Unfortunately for the two, the heist wasn’t very well-planned.
According to People, although the son stole several items, the two left something of their own behind, which allowed detectives to track down the pair and detain them. Zintz allegedly had been visiting Arizona from Washington State at the time of the burglary. He later told authorities he planned to fly back home that day with the stolen goods stored in his luggage. People obtained a probable cause statement that detailed the father-and-son heist, which was far from successful.
Allegedly, surveillance cameras caught the two as they arrived at the parking garage near the Mesa Arts Center, then captured them walking around to various buildings and trying to pull open locked doors. They left, only to return with a totem pole cactus, which Zintz allegedly put in the back of his vehicle.
This Family Outing Wasn’t Exactly the Heist of the Century
After that, according to the probable cause statement, the cameras followed their journey back to the Mesa Contemporary Arts building. There, Zintz purportedly pulled hard enough on the locked door that the locking mechanism broke and allowed the two access.
Per the statement, after the two were inside, they visited two galleries, where the child stole four pieces of jewelry. The items in question were a “Cheii Rockstar” bracelet worth $1,600, a sterling silver “Trouble” necklace worth $2,100, a sterling silver “Rockstar” bracelet worth $650, and a sterling silver self-portrait bolo worth $3,000. The total value added up to $7,350.
Then, because criminals do the dumbest things, the boy allegedly left his name signed in two places, and when the duo vacated the building, they forgot a stainless steel cup. The two returned the next day for it.
Police Had a Fairly Easy Time Catching the Father and Son
The police had reportedly already traced the father and son back to the house where they were staying before they returned for the cup. However, when they came back for that, building staff called the cops while the duo fled. Police soon pulled them over and found the allegedly stolen cactus in the vehicle. Both father and son were detained.
After being detained, Zintz reportedly confessed to several things, including knowing he was where he shouldn’t have been, knowing his son stole things, and stealing not only the cactus but also a Bluetooth speaker. Once police had a warrant for the house the two were staying at, they discovered the stolen items.
Zintz was charged with one count of contributing to the delinquency and dependency of a minor, one count of criminal damage, three counts of theft, and three counts of burglary. His bail was set at $40,000. The minor was placed in a juvenile detention center on a burglary charge.
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