A Florida dad has been arrested and charged with stealing 400 pounds of avocados from a farm, allegedly to pay for his childrens’ Christmas presents.
Edel Perez, 29, was seen “dressed all in black” taking the fruits from the farm in the Redland area of South Florida, owned by Grove Services Incorporated, in the early hours of Monday.
A Miami-Dade police arrest report, obtained by WPLG, said Perez told officers he knew “he was taking something that did not belong to him. However, he has no employment and two kids and was planning to sell the avocados on the street to buy his children Christmas presents,” the report stated.
Deputies observed Perez taking from the farm through a whole cut in its fence. After following him to his Mercedes-Benz, they allege they found multiple black bags filled with avocados in his car and more in the trunk.
Police estimated the bags contained around 400 pounds of fruit, which was worth about $800 in total, according to the arrest report.
Perez was charged with third-degree grand theft and trespassing on an agricultural site.
As of Monday afternoon, he was being held in the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on a $5,000 bond.
