A Miramar UPS driver is accused of turning his delivery route into a luxury grab, after investigators say he stole a Rolex watch worth about $55,000 and opened multiple packages while working across Miami-Dade. Authorities say they caught him during a controlled delivery using bait boxes, one of which hid a security dye pack that exploded when he opened it and stained his hands. The driver was arrested on felony grand theft charges and booked into the county jail on bond.
Investigation Tracked Rolex From Warehouse To His Truck
According to investigators, surveillance video and RFID tracking showed a package containing the Rolex loaded into the driver’s UPS truck at the Hialeah distribution center, where it stayed until it should have been delivered. When the intended recipient opened the box and found the watch missing, UPS launched an internal review that pulled in the Miami-Dade Organized Retail Crime unit. Investigators say the driver was seen routinely pulling packages not assigned to his route from a conveyor area known as the “Lakes Box Bottom Slide,” Local 10 reported.
Police Say High-End Watch Crimes Keep Surfacing
Authorities say the case fits into a broader pattern of luxury watch crimes in Miami-Dade, where investigators have chased everything from boutique fraud schemes to quick-hit thefts that feed a secondary resale market. Deputies have already worked several high-value watch and jewelry cases this year, according to NBC 6.
Controlled Sting, Red Hands, Fast Arrest
To nail down their suspicions, Miami-Dade detectives teamed up with UPS security and set up a controlled operation with two bait packages. Each box held Samsung phones, GPS trackers and, in one of them, a hidden security dye pack. Investigators say they watched live as the driver loaded both bait boxes into his truck, then allegedly opened one near Northeast 132nd Terrace. The dye pack activated, staining his hands red, and deputies moved in to arrest him a short time later while he was making another delivery.
Authorities say that after being shown surveillance footage, the driver admitted to opening one of the controlled packages. Investigators also say he later claimed he had already passed the missing Rolex to a friend he identified only as “Chris.” Court records show he was taken to Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center and held on a $7,500 bond, as detailed by Local 10.
What Second-Degree Grand Theft Means In Florida
Prosecutors have charged the driver with second-degree grand theft, a felony reserved for cases where the alleged loss falls within a specific dollar range. Under Florida law, theft of property valued between $20,000 and $100,000 is classified as grand theft of the second degree. A conviction on a second-degree felony can bring a prison sentence of up to 15 years. The legal details are outlined in Florida Statute 812.014 and the state’s general Florida sentencing law.
