Mesa Police have arrested a suspect in a number of mailbox bombings that occurred in March.
According to the Mesa Police Department, forty-year-old John Janecek was arrested in connection with the bombing of five mailboxes within three days. The incidents occurred between March 12- March 15, 2021 with four of the incidents occurring in Mesa and one taking place in Gilbert.
Police say that the evidence collected from the last incident left officers believing the explosive devices used were some sort of consumer firework.
During the investigations, officers discovered three of the Mesa cases had video footage from surveillance cameras which captured the suspect vehicle. Officers utilized police databases to search for a maroon Hyundai Sonata between the years of 2006-2010.
One such vehicle was associated with Janecek. In addition, John was found in videos on social media making and setting off consumer fireworks.
After obtaining a search warrant for Janecek’s phone records, officers found that he had been in the area of the first Mesa incident, followed by the Gilbert incident shortly after.
On April 15, 2021, officers located and detained Janecek pursuant to the search warrant. His cellphone was seized, and he was questioned. Janecek denied blowing up any mailboxes but said he did have “materials” that he thought he should not have, so he had them destroyed. Janecek continued to talk to officers, making incriminating statements about blowing up mailboxes, but would then stop and correct himself.
Another search warrant was obtained for Janecek’s social media content. Officers found one message Janecek sent to an individual which said, “You sure have been a lot of mailboxes disappearing.”
May 28, 2021 Janecek was arrested by Mesa Police Officers. In a spontaneous statement, Janecek told officers he apologized to the business owner from the first incident and paid him $30 as restitution for destroying the mailbox.
Janecek went on further to confess to blowing up at least three mailboxes. He was booked into Maricopa County Jail for the following charges:
5 counts 1st Degree Burglary, ARS 13-1508A, a class 3 felony (entering a nonresidential structure while in possession of explosives)
5 counts Disorderly Conduct, ARS 13-2904A6, a class 6 felony (recklessly handling a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument with intent to disturb the peace or quiet of a neighborhood, family, or person)
1 count Possession of Dangerous Drugs, ARS 13-3407A1, a class 4 felony