www.nbcmiami.com, Chris Hush and Brian Hamcher, November 8, 2023
A year after a truck and tractor-trailer containing $400,000 worth of goods was stolen in Medley, police have arrested a father and son in the heist.
Antonio Crespo-Alba, 52, and his son, 31-year-old Antonio Crespo-Garcia, were arrested Friday on burglary and grand theft charges, Miami-Dade jail records showed.
The truck and tractor-trailer were stolen back on Nov. 4, 2022 from a truck yard at 9401 Northwest 106th Street, arrest reports said.
Police said it contained cigars, over-the-counter medications, perfumes and footwear that was scheduled to leave for Texas the next morning.
The day after it was stolen, the truck was found abandoned but the trailer that was loaded with the items was still missing.
But detectives learned from one of the victims that a GPS had been strategically placed with the goods, and after several hours of searching the trailer was found at a truck yard in the 20900 block of Southwest 172nd Avenue.
The trailer was attached to a truck and while police were arranging to have it towed, they were approached by Antonio Crespo-Garcia, who said the truck belonged to him, an arrest report said.
Crespo-Garcia went on to tell an investigator that although the truck belonged to him, he had not used it since he loaned it to a friend, the report said.
Investigators determined Crespo-Garcia was in the area of where the truck and tractor-trailer was stolen and in the area where the truck was recovered before, during and after the theft, the report said.
Vehicles registered to family members of Crespo-Garcia were also seen following the truck and trailer before it arrived at the truck yard, the report said.
Crespo-Alba was also at the area of the theft before, during and after it occurred and his white Chevy Impala was seen traveling toward the area, a report said.
Investigators believe surveillance video showed the Impala waiting near the truck yard the night of the heist.
Both the father and son were arrested Friday while leaving their home on Southwest 197th Street, the arrest reports said.
Crespo-Alba invoked his right to remain silent but Crespo-Garcia denied any involvement in the theft, the reports said.
Crespo-Garcia and Crespo-Alba were booked into jail, where records showed their bond was set at $100,000 each. Attorney information wasn't available.
News article: https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/father-and-son-arrested-in-heist-of-truck-carrying-400k-in-cargo-in-medley/3154734/