MIAMI – A brazen cigarette thief that had been making death threats was finally arrested on Monday.
He stole regularly in Miami and he always went straight for that nicotine. Officers considered him to be armed and dangerous.
Police arrested 31-year-old Angel Llanes after a Crime Stoppers tip led officers to his home.
That was after, according to police, Llanes pulled a cigarette heist at a Family Dollar on Monday afternoon.
Investigators said Llanes went behind the counter of the store and began stuffing cartons of cigarettes into a bag, and when an employee tried to stop him, Llanes began punching the woman before stating that he had a gun and that he was going to kill her.
Police said Llanes then jumped back over the counter and left the store.
Later in the day when officers showed up at his home, Llanes tried to run away but was caught and taken into custody.
He is facing multiple felony charges, including burglary with an assault or battery, strong-arm robbery, and resisting arrest with violence.
Prior to the arrest, Officer Kiara Delva, a spokeswoman for the Miami Police Department, said he had been armed with a gun or a knife during his heists. Detectives tied him to robberies going back as far as May 9, when he threatened to shoot anyone who tried to stop him.
“We have no doubt that he will in fact do it again,” Delva said.
Detectives feared he could end up hurting someone. There were similar robberies and threats at 4:30 a.m., May 11, at 200 SW 13 St.; 5:40 p.m., on May 12, at 1699 NW 7 St., and 8:36 a.m., on May 13 at 1085 NW 36 St.
Detectives described the cigarette bandit as slim built, 5-foot-8 or 5-foot-9 inches tall, and between the ages of 29 to 35 years old. He has a trimmed beard and was last seen wearing a gray baseball hat, blue shirt, red shorts, and black shoes.
Officers were asking anyone with information about his identity to call the Miami Police Department at 305-603-6640 or Miami-Dade County Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.
Afternoon report
You saw it first on @WPLGLocal10. A brazen cigarette thief has hit again and @MiamiPD want him off the streets. pic.twitter.com/3k8DebqJz3
— Rosh Lowe (@roshloweWPLG) May 16, 2022