MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – The Miami-Dade Police Department’s Organized Retail Crimes Squad, along with Homeland Security, arrested three suspects for their involvement in the theft and resale of retail goods, according to authorities.
Detectives revealed that a theft investigation dating back to November of 2023, uncovered a scheme that included a loss prevention officer at several Home Depots throughout Miami-Dade County.
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The employee, who authorities identified as Lazaro Dunier Echevarria, 37, allegedly colluded with Jose Bello-Valdez and Yoannys Montano-Solano, both 44 and from Miami, to steal merchandise and resell it elsewhere.
An arrest report states Echevarria reportedly facilitated the thefts for Bello-Valdez by concealing merchandise in boxes meant for other items and allowing him to leave the store without payment.
Police said Echevarria, an asset protection specialist at Home Depot, was found to be facilitating thefts by opening locked tool cabinets and staging items to be stolen, while also “stealing from the very stores he was paid to protect.”
Bello-Valdez, along with an unidentified accomplice, would then steal merchandise and pass all points of sale without paying, according to investigators.
Police said in one incident on Nov. 3, 2023, just after 10:40 a.m., Bello-Valdez entered a Home Depot, located at 15750 SW 88th Street in Kendall without any items and proceeded to the store’s tool gift center.
Police said while at the gift center, Bello-Valdez selected various Dewalt and Milwaukee tool combinations, concealing them in an empty box on a flatbed cart. Bypassing all points of sale, he exited the store without attempting to purchase the merchandise, authorities said.
An arrest report stated that an elderly male customer observed Bello-Valdez taking the items and notified Home Depot management, prompting notification to Echevarria, who was working at the location at the time of the incident.
As Bello-Valdez loaded the merchandise into a black Chevy SUV, an off-duty Miami-Dade police officer who was at the Home Depot, approached him, at which time he fled on foot towards the Walmart shopping center, abandoning his vehicle, the report stated.
Despite efforts to speak with the suspect, police said Bello-Valdez was not apprehended. Echevarria, who was present during the incident, generated an internal incident report but did not file a police report with Miami-Dade police, according to investigators.
Police said Echevarria recovered stolen merchandise, including cordless combo kits, pruning saws, a pin nailer kit, handheld blower kits and a kitchen cabinet, totaling $6,250.
The investigation, which spanned several months, revealed a pattern of thefts resulting in substantial losses for Home Depot stores. On April 11, 2024, Miami-Dade police, in collaboration with Home Depot investigators, apprehended Bello-Valdez as he exited a store with stolen Milwaukee power tools valued at $2,691 from the same store, authorities confirmed.
After further investigation, police said the stolen goods were then sold to Yoannys Montano-Solano, who in turn sold them on an online marketplace at prices significantly lower than retail value.
Further investigation uncovered fraudulent refund activities conducted by Echevarria, resulting in losses totaling $49,266, according to police.
During the execution of search warrants at two locations, investigators said they recovered 1,240 items (mostly power tools), which were valued at over $260,000, with some items still in their original packaging.
Jail records show all three suspects are facing charges that include organized fraud of $50,000 or more, third-degree grand theft, dealing with stolen property and unlawful use of a communication device.
As of Monday afternoon, Montano-Solano, Echevarria and Bello-Valdez were being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, where their bonds have not been determined.
Anyone with more information on the case is urged to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.