South Florida

Notorious Beer Bandit Caught After Dropping Phone at Crime Scene: Miami Police

A notorious beer bandit wanted for a recent rash of thefts in South Florida was arrested after he dropped his cellphone at the scene of one of his crimes, police said.

Gabriel Gelpi Rodriguez, 25, was arrested Wednesday on multiple theft charges, Miami Police said. He was being held on more than $12,000 bond Friday, and it's unknown if he's hired an attorney.

According to Miami Police arrest reports, Rodriguez walked out of a Publix grocery store at 911 Southwest 1st Avenue Tuesday with several boxes of Corona beer in a shopping cart without paying.

He was followed by a store's general manager, who confronted him. Rodriguez fled the scene but dropped his cell phone, which was recovered by the manager, the reports said.

Later that night, Rodriguez was able to steal beer from the Winn-Dixie at 1525 Coral Way, the reports said. He was arrested after information on the phone led police to his home, the reports said.

Police said the Broward Sheriff's Office is looking at Rodriguez as a possible suspect in similar cases in Broward, including a theft at a Weston Publix last month.

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