MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Two people have been arrested on accusations that they broke into Miami-Dade County public school buses and stole more than $20,000 in electronic devices.
Monica Rodriguez, 21, and Samuel Day, 24, were arrested Wednesday and are facing several charges, including burglary, grand theft, dealing in stolen property, possession of a firearm, possession of cocaine and driving with a suspended license.
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Police said they burglarized buses on multiple occasions at the school district’s South Transportation Center.
According to their arrest reports, on Monday, the couple stole 27 Samsung tablets from the buses, which are primarily used to ensure that special needs students are delivered to their proper guardian.
Police said the couple returned to the transportation center the next day and stole another 14 tablets.
“These individuals were able to unlawfully enter the compound, break into numerous school buses and steal several electronic devices from inside the buses,” a Miami-Dade Schools Police Department news release stated.
According to the suspects’ arrest reports, police found an ad for some tablets that resembled the stolen ones on the Offer Up app and messaged Rodriguez to inquire about the price.
Police said she told the undercover officer that she was selling each tablet for $80 each.
The officer agreed to purchase two and met up with both suspects in Homestead to conduct the transaction, authorities said.
After verifying that the tablets were indeed the ones that were stolen from the school buses, police pulled over the suspects’ car and arrested them, their arrest reports stated.
According to the reports, a loaded handgun was found inside a pouch in the car behind Day, along with a small bag of cocaine.
Police said both suspects provided a written confession to the burglary.