Florida man allegedly steals 400 pounds of avocados to buy Christmas presents for children
A Florida man was arrested this week after allegedly stealing hundreds of pounds of avocados from a Miami-area grove, according to police.
Edel Perez, 29, was arrested after deputies said they saw him leaving a fenced avocado grove with bags of avocados estimated to weigh about 400 pounds, according to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office arrest affidavit.
Perez allegedly told police he was unemployed and was planning to sell the stolen fruit to buy Christmas presents for his two children.
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At about 3:10 a.m. on Monday, police said they observed a male dressed in all black clothing picking avocados inside the grove.
The avocado grove is fenced and has a "No Trespassing" sign, according to police.
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Deputies found bags of avocados in Perez's Mercedes-Benz and identical bags in the grove with freshly picked fruit.
Police said they also found loose avocados in the vehicle's trunk.
The avocados had an estimated value of $800, according to the arrest affidavit.
Perez faces charges of trespassing on an agricultural site and third-degree grand theft.