Greenacres Man Identified and Arrested for Dozens of Felony Property Crimes Related to Theft of Electrical Switches at Construction Sites
On April 5, 2024, PSLPD detectives arrested and charged Arnoldo Pérez-Mirabal, 50, of Greenacres, FL, with the following:
- 55 counts of theft from an unoccupied dwelling
- 55 counts of burglary of a construction site
- 2 counts of grand theft
- 2 counts of organized scheme to defraud
- 2 counts of unlawful use of a two-way communication device
- 2 counts of dealing in stolen property
- 2 counts of enhancing travel across county lines to commit theft
The investigation began on February 19, 2024, with 12 reported thefts from homes under construction in the 6300 block of NW Sweetwater Dr. Nearly $15,000 worth of electrical switches were stolen.
The PSLPD responded by having officers conduct targeted patrols in the affected area (District 4) while detectives began their follow-up investigations.
Then, from February 20, 2024, to February 27, 2024, 27 additional thefts from homes under construction were reported in the 14200 block of SW Britton Ave., the 11800 block of SW Macelli Way, and the 9700 block of SW Triton Way, where nearly $28,000 worth of electrical switches and panels were stolen.
The PSLPD shifted our resources to this affected area (District 5) while detectives continued their follow-up investigations.
Finally, on March 8, 2024, five more thefts from homes under construction were reported in the 500 block of SE Ranch Oak Cir. and in the 600 block of SE Lake Falls St., Bldg. 13 (16 townhomes), where nearly $15,000 worth of switches were stolen.
The PSLPD again shifted our resources to the affected area (District 2) while detectives continued their follow-up investigations.
During the initial response to one of the dozens of thefts listed above, a patrol officer took a fingerprint from one of the crime scenes on NW Sweetwater Dr.
Then, crime scene investigators analyzed the latent fingerprint and later identified Pérez-Mirabal as a suspect. Further investigation revealed that Pérez-Mirabal’s fingerprints were found at several other crime scenes along with surveillance video of his vehicle.
Detectives located Pérez-Mirabal and interviewed him. Based on their interviews along with physical evidence, detectives were able to link Pérez-Mirabal to the 55 thefts that occurred across the city.
They also learned that Pérez-Mirabal, though a painter by trade, was not a subcontractor for any of the homes under construction that were robbed and that he specifically traveled to Port St. Lucie knowing there were new developments under construction.
Once he located and burglarized the homes under construction to remove their electrical switches and panels, he would then sell them for profit.
Chief Richard Del Toro stated:
“The Port St. Lucie Police Department has a zero-tolerance approach toward criminals who travel to Port St. Lucie with the intent to victimize our businesses and residents. As demonstrated in cases like these, our officers and crime scene investigators conducted thorough initial investigations, and our detectives were relentless in their pursuit to solve these crimes.”
Pérez-Mirabal is currently jailed at the St. Lucie County Jail with a bond set at approximately $1.2 million.
Image: ElHispano
