MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Police arrested a man and woman Monday in a catalytic converter theft at a west Miami-Dade County medical center that happened the week prior.
The theft arrest comes amid a spike in catalytic converter thefts across South Florida.
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Daisy Marie Vandeusen and Andrew Martinez, both 32, face multiple felony charges related to the incident.
According to an arrest affidavit, police responded to the Leon Medical Centers – Flagler location at 7950 NW 2nd St. on May 17 where the victim provided surveillance video of the incident.
Police said the video shows Martinez and Vandeusen driving up to the victim’s pickup truck in a rental car, exiting the vehicle and stealing the truck’s catalytic converter.
According to the report, police identified Martinez handing Vandeusen the catalytic converter, who placed it inside the car before leaving the facility’s parking garage.
The next day, police were able to match the car’s plates with a vehicle belonging to a local rental agency. There, they were able to trace the rental back to Vandeusen, according to the report.
Police said Miami-Dade auto theft detectives were able to locate the rental car at Martinez’s previous residence on Southwest 91st Avenue, where, after a period of surveillance, they identified and arrested Vandeusen and Martinez.
Vandeusen and Martinez each face felony charges of third-degree grand theft of motor vehicle parts and criminal mischief. Martinez also faces a host of additional charges, including felon in possession of a firearm, possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia.