An alert resident who called the Sheriff’s Office helped with the arrest of two Miami men stealing metal shutters from a home at the 99.2 mile marker of Highway U.S. One.
When Deputies Michael Sielicki and Spenser Bryan arrived on the scene, they found a red pickup truck backed into the driveway and two men loading metal shutters into the back of it. The man who lives in the house, and who reported the crime, called the property manager to the scene. The manager said the two men did not have permission to remove the items. As a matter of fact, he said he’d had about $20,000 worth of metal shutters taken about two weeks before.
The two men were identified as 33 year old Juan De La Rosa and 44 year old Jesus Felipe. De La Rosa said Felipe called him and asked if he wanted to pick up some metal and sell it to make money. Felipe told the deputies a friend told him to pick up the metal so he could make some extra money. He said he did not know the name of the friend. Both men admitted to stealing metal from the same house two weeks ago.
Both men were arrested and charged with burglary and grand theft. More charges may be pending.
