Adrián Barrera, a 32-year-old Cuban man, has been arrested in Miami-Dade County after allegedly stealing Amazon packages worth approximately $45,000 and illegally discarding their packaging.
Barrera, who was working for an independent contractor delivering Amazon goods, was caught in the act on Friday, May 3, after a Lowe’s employee in southwest Miami-Dade alerted police. Officers responded to the store at 9191 SW 137th Avenue and found Barrera throwing empty boxes from a white delivery truck into the parking lot.
According to the arrest report, Barrera removed merchandise from the packages and stored the stolen items in his vehicle before dumping the boxes. During a search of the truck, officers also discovered a jar containing about one gram of crystal methamphetamine.
Barrera admitted to picking up 13 pallets of Amazon packages the day prior, intended for delivery to customers across Miami-Dade and Monroe counties. Instead of completing the deliveries, he stole the goods and discarded the packaging.
He now faces three felony charges: grand theft, illegal dumping in violation of Florida’s waste laws, and possession of a controlled substance. Under Florida law, cargo theft under $50,000 is a second-degree felony, punishable by prison time and significant fines.
Barrera appeared in court on Sunday, where a judge set his bond at $10,000. He remains in the county jail awaiting further legal proceedings.
