A Phoenix-area man has been sentenced to six years in prison after prosecutors said he led a retail theft operation that targeted sporting goods stores throughout the Valley.
Court records show 32-year-old Connor Burgess was sentenced May 20 in Maricopa County Superior Court after pleading no contest to one count of organized retail theft.
According to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, Burgess stole more than $26,000 worth of golf clubs and other sports merchandise during a series of thefts carried out between October and November 2025.
Investigators said one of the incidents involved the theft of seven golf clubs valued at more than $4,200 from a Dick’s Sporting Goods location in the Phoenix area.
Authorities later connected Burgess to at least six additional thefts involving PGA TOUR Superstore stores, another Dick’s Sporting Goods location and a Scheels store through surveillance footage and online marketplace listings where the stolen merchandise was allegedly offered for resale.
“Organized retail theft is not a harmless crime. It drives up costs for families and puts businesses and employees at risk,” Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said in a statement announcing the sentence.
Prosecutors said the investigation ultimately uncovered a coordinated effort to steal high-end golf equipment from retailers across metro Phoenix before attempting to sell the items online.
