Officers interrupted the break-in late Saturday morning; suspects, ages 16 and 17, now face kidnapping and burglary counts.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Two teenagers were arrested after police say they pretended to be delivery employees, forced their way into a Scottsdale home, restrained victims and fled before officers captured them at a nearby strip mall late Saturday morning.
Scottsdale police said officers were dispatched at about 10:44 a.m. on Jan. 31 to the 9800 block of Windrose Drive for a report of a disturbance and found a home invasion in progress. As officers approached the door, they saw a woman screaming and a teen struggling with an adult man inside, prompting police to force entry, according to an initial account. The suspects, ages 16 and 17, ran out the back, reached a waiting vehicle and sped off, investigators said. Officers pursued until the car hit a dead-end behind a nearby shopping center, where the teens were taken into custody without further injuries reported.
Detectives said the pair had posed as delivery service workers to get the door opened and then pushed into the home. Once inside, they restrained two victims while a third hid elsewhere in the residence, police said. The teens were booked on preliminary counts including kidnapping, second-degree burglary, criminal impersonation, disorderly conduct, felony flight and three counts of aggravated assault. “It’s terrifying. You always hear about these things, but you never think it will happen near you,” a neighbor said. Authorities said they are still determining whether the suspects and victims knew each other and have not released the juveniles’ names because of their ages.
The incident unfolded in a residential area near Cactus Road and 94th Street, where neighbors reported a quick law-enforcement response and multiple patrol units. Police did not detail injuries but said officers interrupted the assault inside the home before the suspects fled. The department said its initial interviews indicate the teens used a delivery pretense as a ruse, a tactic seen in recent property crimes nationally. Officers recovered the suspect vehicle after the pursuit ended at a strip mall, and detectives processed the home for evidence and canvassed the block for security video.
The case will be reviewed in juvenile court, where hearings are typically scheduled within days of arrest. Scottsdale police said additional charges could be considered as investigators confirm the full sequence of events and the number of victims. Officials said the investigation is ongoing and that no additional suspects were outstanding as of Monday. Police planned to release updates if the teens are transferred for adult prosecution, which can occur in violent felony cases depending on age, alleged conduct and prosecutorial review under Arizona law.
On Windrose Drive on Monday afternoon, tape residue clung to a front gate and a door camera faced the street. A resident a few houses away said she saw cruisers racing past just before 11 a.m. and later noticed officers searching the area near the shops. “It’s a pretty quiet neighborhood, so seeing the chase end right there was shocking,” she said. Another neighbor said the delivery disguise rattled him. “We get packages all the time,” he said. “I’ll be looking a lot closer before opening the door.”
As of late Monday, the teens remained in custody on the initial booking charges. Police said detectives are reviewing evidence and interviews and will forward the case to county prosecutors once reports are complete.
Author note: Last updated February 2, 2026.