Miami-Dade Cop Accused Of Stealing Pricey Jewelry
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - A Miami-Dade police detective is accused of having sticky fingers after he was caught trying to sell several expensive pieces of jewelry reported missing after a raid.
Detective Karel Rosario was one of several county officers that assisted the Drug Enforcement Administration in serving a search warrant at the residence of Yulia Martinez.
Martinez and her husband are suspected of being part of a ring selling fraudulently acquired pharmaceuticals, according to CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald.
Martinez was taken in federal custody and after bonding out of jail, she noticed that several pieces of jewelry, including a Cartier watch containing a custom diamond bezel, Cartier-style "Nail" bracelet, Rolex Daytona watch and several other pieces of jewelry by Bulgari and David Yurman were missing along with several expensive bottles of perfume.
Click here to watch Cynthia Demos' report.
The total value of all the pieces was well over $100,000.
When police remove items during the execution of a search warrant they leave a receipt of the items taken at the residence. The Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office said no receipts were left at the residence specifying the items that were seized during the raid.
On May 27, 2015, Rosario went to Miami's famed Seybold Jewelry Building and met with jeweler Joel Hernandez. Video surveillance captured Rosario trying to sell Hernandez a Cartier watch and Cartier style "Nail" bracelet.
Hernandez told Rosario he wasn't interested in buying the pieces because they were too high end. However, he did agree to help Rosario try to sell them. Hernandez posted pictures of the Cartier watch to post on a social site named "WhatsApp" so that others in the jewelry trade could see it and respond if interested.
Another jeweler, Joel Vigo, got in touch with Hernandez to find out who was trying to sell the Cartier watch and the Cartier style "Nail" bracelet. Vigo said he had sold that specific Cartier watch which contained a diamond bezel and the Cartier style "Nail" bracelet to Yulia Martinez' husband. Vigo later contacted Yulia Martinez who notified a member of the private defense bar who contacted the Miami Dade State Attorney's Office which initiated a criminal investigation.
"Good police work always depends on an officer's honesty and integrity. Honesty and integrity are the core values of every effective police agency," said State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle. "Detective Rosario's stealing makes him no different from the thieves he would apprehend. This is a sad day for the law enforcement community."
Rosario, who has been with the Miami-Dade police department for nine years, turned himself in Monday night and was charged with grand theft and dealing in stolen property.
CBS4's Cynthai Demos was not able to speak with Detective Rosario for a comment. Both Vigo and Hernandez declined to comment. Noone answered the door when CBS4 crews went by the Martinez home.
Rosario's arraignment is set for July 15th.
CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald contributed to this report.
