MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – A man was caught on camera stealing a catalytic converter in broad daylight from a northwest Miami-Dade parking lot in February and now police say they’ve identified and arrested the suspect.
Someone recorded cell phone video of the suspect going to town on a car’s catalytic converter on Feb. 18th at the Park Towers Apartments, located on Northwest 155th Lane, just south of Golden Glades interchange.
The video shows the man brazenly sawing the pollution-control gadget, containing valuable precious metals, from the car. Catalytic converter thefts continue to be a major problem in South Florida.
He then comes out from under the car with a request.
“Don’t record me, man,” he asks, then slips under the car once again.
The witness kept recording.
A tip led Miami-Dade police to arrest Hubert Cruzada, 25, on charges of grand theft of motor vehicle parts and criminal mischief.
He was out on bond at the time of the incident on a grand theft charge.