MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. — A 35-year-old man from Lee County is behind bars after stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of property from a Martin County home last month. Darel Monza Guerra was arrested Thursday in Lehigh Acres, Florida.
The burglary occurred in the Cobblestone/Stuart West community in January, and investigators described the crime as targeted and meticulously planned. Guerra reportedly gained access to the gated community by cutting through a fence and directly entering the targeted home.
Authorities believe Guerra had been monitoring the victim’s social media and knew the family’s whereabouts at the time of the break-in. He disabled the home’s security cameras, allowing him to spend hours inside the residence undetected.
The stolen items included handbags, luxury shoes, high-end clothing, a Supreme bag, and cash—amounting to approximately $450,000 in value. Guerra also took the victim’s Mercedes, which was later found abandoned nearby.
Investigators believe Guerra may have used a drone for surveillance, adding to the sophistication of the crime. Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek expressed concern over the professionalism of the criminals involved, stating, “These thieves did their homework.”
The victim, Domenic Iacovone, shared his feelings of violation after discovering the break-in. “Someone was in my bedroom, someone was in my living room,” Iacovone said. He also mentioned that the experience has taught him to be more cautious about posting on social media.
A search warrant executed at Guerra’s residence led to the recovery of evidence related to the crime. Guerra is being held at the Martin County jail on a $1.25 million bond.
