Authorities have charged Miami International Airport janitor Alberto Rabanal, 57, in connection to the theft of $60,000 worth of Rolex watches allegedly stolen from a passenger.
According to USA Today, the heist was pulled off on a flyer with two pricey watches who’d returned to Miami from Lisbon, Portugal. After the passenger exited customs, he allegedly left the watches in a duty-free bag next to an outside garbage can in the waiting area for rideshare pickups. The source noted that the Rolex wrist pieces were on the ground. It was also reported that the flyer left the duty-free bag unattended for some time, as he’d walked away from his belongings.
Detectives who reviewed CCTV footage claim Rabanal noticed the bag, peered inside, and took out a black sweater. Once he saw a black case containing the watches below, he transported the pricey Rolex timepieces to another location. The affidavit alleged that the airport janitor took the passenger’s duty-free watches to “an area where he can’t be seen by witnesses.” Rabanal had allegedly put the black sweater back into the duty-free bag and threw it into a garbage bin, keeping the watches.
What Else Is There To Know About The Miami Airport Janitor Rolex Watch Theft Case?
NBC 6 South Florida detailed that the Miami-Dade Police Department arrested Rabanal on August 26. The heist alleged happened days earlier, on August 22, on the Terminal J’s second level.
Detectives reportedly found the watches in a dresser inside the main bedroom of the janitor’s home. The authorities reportedly took Rabanal to Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
Rabanal allegedly confessed to the crimes. Authorities charged him with two counts of second-degree grand theft. He faces 15 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. On August 27, the Miami Airport janitor reportedly stood in court. Local news reported that he received a public defender and was “granted a $7,500 bond.”
