A 34-year-old man, Felix Curry Payne of North Miami Beach, was arrested on December 5, 2024, in connection with multiple package thefts in Hollywood, Florida. Payne faces five counts of burglary following his arrest in the area of North Surf Road and Oak Street, where he was caught stealing packages.
According to Hollywood police, officers were alerted by a caller around 2 p.m. that a man was taking packages from porches, ripping them open, and stuffing the stolen goods into a bag. When officers arrived on the scene, they spotted Payne and took him into custody, finding the stolen goods in his possession.
A further search of the area revealed additional victims who had their packages stolen. Thanks to the swift response of local law enforcement, the stolen items were returned to their rightful owners.
Hollywood police spokesperson, Deanna Bettineschi, commended the officers’ quick action, and Officer Christian Lata referred to Payne as a “Grinch” who had been stopped just in time to save Christmas for many families.
Payne remained held at the Joseph V. Conte Facility with a bond set at $60,000. Authorities suspect many of the stolen packages contained Christmas presents, making the recovery all the more significant during the holiday season.