Man accused of stealing $12,000 gold chain from tourist after game of chance in Wynwood

Police officers arrested Charlie Sanchez on Thursday in Miami and he appeared in bond court on Friday in Miami-Dade County.

MIAMI — A 27-year-old man appeared in Miami-Dade County court on Friday after detectives accused him of stealing a $12,000 14-K gold chain three months ago in Miami’s Wynwood neighborhood.

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On Feb. 21, a tourist from New York reported that a thief stopped him as he walked along Northwest 24th Street, near Second Avenue, offered to play a game, and fled with his chain in an Acura ADX, records show.

The tourist was able to provide the Acura’s tag, and after a line-up, a Miami detective identified the thief as Charlie Sanchez, according to a police arrest report.

On Thursday, police officers arrested Sanchez, of Doral, at 2:10 p.m. in Miami’s Liberty City neighborhood, and the detective questioned him.

Sanchez “stated he recalled the incident where he held the chain but denied stealing it ... mentioned he was not the one operating the game of chance ... he did not know who the one operating the game was,” a detective wrote, according to the arrest report.

Miami-Dade County corrections booked him at 6:40 p.m. on Thursday at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, where he remained on Friday afternoon, according to inmate records.

Sanchez faced charges of third-degree grand theft and obtaining property by gaming. His bond was $2,650.

Local 10 News Assignment Editor Carson Merlo contributed to this report.

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About The Author
Andrea Torres

Andrea Torres

The Emmy Award-winning journalist joined the Local 10 News team in 2013. She wrote for the Miami Herald for more than 9 years and won a Green Eyeshade Award.