Deputies: Miami man steals 400 pounds of avocados to buy his kids Christmas presents, he claimed
MIAMI, Fla. - A Florida man was arrested after deputies caught him allegedly stealing around 400 pounds of avocados from a Miami grove in the early morning.
Avocados on a tree are seen at a farm in the municipality of Uruapan, Michoacan state, Mexico, on February 5, 2025. Donald Trump's tariff threats sowed uncertainty but did not stop Mexican avocado packers from working full steam ahead to keep guacamo
What we know:
Edel Perez, 29, was arrested in Miami after deputies witnessed him walking out of a grove with bags filled with avocados, the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office said in an arrest affidavit. Deputies were called to the location for a trespass with a grand theft report.
The avocado grove is fenced off and has a no trespass sign.
Edel Perez, 29, is accused of stealing over 400 pounds of avocados in Miami.
On Monday, Dec. 22, around 3:10 a.m., Perez was observed wearing all black picking avocados, the sheriff's office said. A deputy saw bags of avocados in a black Mercedes and the trunk was full of loose avocados, the affidavit said.
The deputy estimated that Perez had taken around 400 pounds of avocados, the affidavit said.
According to the affidavit, Perez said he has two kids and doesn't have a job. He said he was planning to sell the avocados to buy his kids Christmas presents.
The Source: Information in this story was gathered from the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office.