AZ Firefighter Arrested on Suspicion of Station Burglary

A veteran Arizona firefighter and paramedic is accused of planning the burglary of a fire station that was allegedly carried out last year by members of his motorcycle club, according to authorities.

Frank R. Zepeda, a 12-year member of the Buckeye Fire Department, was arrested at about 7 a.m. Thursday as a suspect in the felony burglary of Buckeye Fire Station 706 in April, Buckeye police said in a statement. He also faces weapons charges in an unrelated shooting in Glendale.

Police began investigating the firehouse burglary April 29 after an on-duty firefighter noticed equipment had been taken from a parked fire apparatus, authorities said. Items that were stolen included turnout gear, ballistic vests, and drug and IV boxes. The estimated cost of the items was $10,000, police said.

Earlier this month, investigators received information implicating Zepeda, 39, as the person who allegedly organized the fire station burglary, according to authorities. Members of Zepeda's motorcycle club—he's the club's president—are accused of stealing the items, police said.

The burglary investigation eventually led to information about Zepeda's alleged connection to a shooting in Glendale in March, authorities said. No one was hurt in that incident, but Glendale police did receive a report that a car had been riddled with bullets. Buckeye detectives have turned over their information about the shooting to Glendale authorities.

As part of the investigation, Buckeye police served search warrants on multiple locations, including Zepeda's home in Glendale. Cocaine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia were seized during these warrants, police said.

Following Thursday's arrest, Zepeda was expected to be booked into Maricopa County jail on weapons charges stemming from the Glendale shooting. Additional charges also are expected.

The Buckeye Fire Department has been working with detectives throughout both investigations, and termination proceedings for Zepeda, who joined the department in March 2007, have already started.

"The Buckeye Fire Department remains committed to providing the very highest level of service to the community and will work tirelessly to continue to provide transparency to the City of Buckeye residents," Buckeye Fire Chief Bob Costello said in a statement.