Miami Beach landlord steals from tenant, offers to return items for cash, police say

Valentina Zaeta faces charges of burglary, grand theft

Valentina Zaeta is accused of stealing from her tenant in Miami Beach.

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – A Miami Beach woman is accused of stealing from her tenant and offering to return the stolen items in exchange for money.

Valentina Zaeta, 34, was arrested Wednesday on burglary and grand theft charges.

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According to a Miami Beach police report, the tenant heard someone enter the apartment while he was in his room. A few minutes later, he said he heard the door slam, so he looked outside and saw Zaeta holding something to her chest.

The resident noticed that his roommate's laptop computer was missing, so he called his roommate, who called police.

Police said surveillance video showed Zaeta enter the apartment with a key and leave with a suitcase and a laptop.

In addition to the laptop, other items listed as stolen from the apartment were a Louis Vuitton tote bag worth $1,800, a Michael Kors wallet worth $200, four credit cards, the tenant's Social Security card and $500 in cash.

While police were at the apartment, Zaeta called her tenant and claimed to have the stolen property, police said. Zaeta said she was willing to return the items in exchange for cash, police said.