FedEx driver mistakenly gives thief Dell computer in Miami, authorities say

Theft reported morning of May 10

MIAMI ā€“ Authorities are searching for a man who stole a Dell computer that was being delivered by a FedEx driver in Miami last month.

The theft was reported about 10:30 a.m. May 10 in front of an apartment building in the 800 block of Northwest 11th Street.

According to detectives, a man drove up in a red, four-door Lexus CT 200hĀ and approached the driver while posing as a customer.

The driver wasn't convinced, and the man left.

But police said the man returned eight minutes later and approached another FedEx driver, who was also making a delivery, and convinced him to give him a package that he said he was waiting for. Ā 

Police said the package contained a Dell computer valued at more than $1,600.

"The FedEx guy told me that the thief had my ID.Ā I mean, an ID with my name," the victim, Alvaro Rodriguez, said. "He knew about the FedEx truck coming."Ā 

Rodriguez said he called police after failing to receive the package, which is when they discovered it had been stolen by watching the surveillance video.

"There has to be someone from the inside --Ā someone from FedEx or someone from Dell. There has to be someone from the inside," Rodriguez said.Ā 

A FedEx spokeswoman said the company is assisting police in its investigation.Ā 

"We regret the unfortunate criminal activity involving this shipment and we are assisting the authorities in their investigation," theĀ FedEx spokeswoman said in a statement to Local 10 News.

Rodriguez said he is most concerned about how the thief got a hold of a fake ID with his name on it and how the man knew he was expecting a Dell computer to be delivered to his home.Ā 

Police are investigating whether the same man is committing similar thefts of computers in Miami.Ā 

Anyone with information about the thief's identity is asked to call the Miami Police Department at 305-603-6030 or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.


About the Authors:

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.

Andrew Perez is a South Florida native who joined the Local 10 News team in May 2014.