Maricopa County confirmed that an employee has been fired in connection with the incident, and the sheriff's office is investigating.
PHOENIX — A theft occurred at a Maricopa County Counting and Election Center, county officials announced Monday.
County officials confirmed that an employee was fired Friday in connection with the theft allegations, but could not provide further details because the investigation is ongoing.
Sergeant Joaquin Enriquez with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office confirmed the incident is under investigation.
At this time, authorities have not disclosed what was stolen.
This is a developing story, 12News will give you the latest updates.
>> Download the 12News App to get the latest local breaking news straight to your phone.
“The Valley” is what locals call the Phoenix metropolitan area, considered the largest metropolitan area in the Southwest.
Besides Phoenix, the Valley also includes other major cities such as:
- Mesa
- Chandler
- Scottsdale
- Tempeh
- Glendale
- surprise
- Peoria
- Gilbert
- El Mirage
- Avondale
- Litchfield Park
- Goodyear
- Buckeye
Whether a city is in the “East Valley” or the “West Valley” depends on where it is located in relation to Phoenix.
According to the 2020 U.S. Census, the Valley region's cities have a combined population of 4,845,832, making it the 11th largest metropolitan area in the country, behind the Boston and Atlanta areas.
How big is Maricopa County?
According to the 2020 census, Maricopa County has a population of 4,485,414, making it the fourth most populous county in the United States.
The county is home to approximately 63% of Arizona's population and covers an area of 9,224 square miles, which means the county is larger than seven U.S. states: Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.
Maricopa County is also home to one of the largest park systems in the country. The county has an estimated 120,000 acres of open space parks, including hundreds of miles of trails, nature centers, campgrounds, and more.
The county seat is Phoenix, which is also the state capital and the fifth most populous city in the United States according to the census.
The county was named for a Native American tribe called the Maricopa or Piipache.
