ARIZONA COMPUTER STOLEN Cleaning woman's husband a suspect in theft

Alex Whitlatch
The Arizona Republic
Feb. 14, 2008 05:05 PM

They wanted their house cleaned, not cleaned out.

Police arrested Daniel Roman, 45, on Wednesday on suspicion of theft after they said he took two handguns and a laptop from a Mesa home his wife was hired to clean.

Police said Roman had moved several other items to the back yard in an attempt to make it appear as though the house had been burglarized.

Roman's wife was hired to clean the home in the 1300 block of North Raven Avenue, which was in the process of being sold. Police said the homeowners became suspicious Wednesday when she called and asked to be paid immediately in cash.

The owner called his friend, who is living in and purchasing the home, and asked him to check to see if everything was done correctly. When he got there the man discovered his printer, stereo speakers, cable box, DVD player and two rifles were moved from the inside of the house to the back yard, police said.

He also found he was missing a Smith and Wesson .38 Special revolver, a .22 caliber revolver and a Toshiba laptop computer, police said. The homeowner and the friend contacted police and told them where payment was to be made to the woman.

Police arrived and questioned the husband and wife, and said Roman admitted he had stolen the guns and the computer, according to a report.

Roman told police he went with his wife and granddaughter to clean the house thinking it would be vacant but realized that someone was in the first stages of moving in.

Roman said he intended to sell the computer and two handguns for cash and had made arrangements to sell the guns for $350 each and the computer for $150.