Police arrest suspect in break-in at Arizona gubernatorial candidate’s campaign headquarters

Phoenix police arrested a suspect in the case of a break-in that occurred this week at the campaign headquarters of Katie Hobbs, Arizona’s Democratic gubernatorial nominee.

Police alleged Daniel Mota Dos Reis, 36, broke into her campaign office in downtown Phoenix sometime before 7 p.m. on Monday night and stole multiple items from the building.

Officers responded to the report of a burglary on Tuesday afternoon. On Wednesday, an officer allegedly recognized Dos Reis in additional footage leaked by the media because he had been apprehended and jailed earlier that day for an unrelated case.

Dos Reis was set to be released but was re-arrested and is charged with one count of third-degree burglary. The stolen items were returned to Hobbs and her team, according to police.

Hobbs shared a statement on Twitter from her campaign manager, Nicole DeMont, confirming the break-in at her campaign headquarters this week.

DeMont also said Hobbs, who is running a tight race against Republican opponent Kari Lake to become Arizona’s next governor, has faced “hundreds of death threats” throughout the campaign.

“Let’s be clear: for nearly two years Kari Lake and her allies have been spreading dangerous misinformation and inciting threats against anyone they see fit,” DeMont said. “The threats against Arizonans attempting to exercise their constitutional rights and their attacks on elected officials are the direct result of a concerted campaign of lies and intimidation.

“It won’t work,” her campaign manager added. “Katie is running for governor to ensure the safety and security of every Arizona family. She will win this race.”

In July, the FBI arrested a man who had threatened to blow up Hobbs last year.

Hobbs is also Arizona’s secretary of state, and the man had threatened her because she certified the 2020 election for President Biden.

Lake is endorsed by former President Trump and is one of his staunchest allies in denying the 2020 election results. She has also sought to paint Democrats as cheaters who may commit fraud in the upcoming election.

A CBS News-YouGov poll published earlier this month had Lake and Hobbs neck and neck, with 49 percent of respondents supporting each candidate.

— Updated Oct. 27 at 6:43 p.m.