PINECREST, Fla. – A man dubbed the “Fine Wine Bandit,” with a penchant for walking into a local grocery chain and stuffing pricey vino and bubbly down his pants, was finally nabbed Monday, according to Pinecrest police.
Authorities identified the suspect as Douglas Berdayes, 51, of west Miami-Dade, and said he turned himself in at the Pinecrest police headquarters. Police are crediting a Local 10 viewer for helping to pop the cork on the case.
Local 10 News first covered the story in late June. Authorities suspect Berdayes of stealing wine and champagne from Milam’s Market stores from Pinecrest to Coconut Grove.
“After it aired on Channel 10 we had an influx of calls from the community (from) both retail partners, suppliers, viewers,” supermarket owner Chad Milam said. “(They) kind of all pitched in to contribute information that ultimately led to the identification of the man.”
Police said his thefts ran in the thousands of dollars and he was caught on surveillance cameras committing them.
“Thanks to Channel 10 and Rosh Lowe, all the viewers, we caught him, we did it, but we’re not stopping,” Milam said.
According to arrest reports, Berdayes has been busted in other parts of the state for the same crime.
“He’s funding a lifestyle; this is orchestrated theft,” Milam said. “It’s not theft of necessity. This is planned, organized and structured theft to sustain a lifestyle.”
Berdayes, who lives in the Tamiami area, was no longer listed in Miami-Dade jail records as of Tuesday afternoon.