Miami Man Charged In Key Largo Boat Theft
KEY LARGO (CBSMiami) – A Miami man who reportedly hauled off a custom boat from a Key Largo campground has been arrested.
According to the Monroe County Sheriff's Office, surveillance tape from the Calusa Campground shows the 2007 30 foot custom-made Concept vessel being towed away August 28, 2011 by a white Cadillac SUV. The vessel's value, including the trailer and two 350 HP Mercury engines, is $137,000.00.
Boat's owner discovered it missing several days later and called the sheriff's office.
Last month, the boat's owner said he was contacted by the company that made the boat for him. The company owner said he'd received a phone call from someone who was thinking about buying it.
The potential buyer said he was suspicious because the person selling it was only asking $20,000.00 for it. He told the company owner he suspected the boat was stolen and asked the potential buyer where it was located.
The boat owner the called the sheriff's office and gave them the address.
Miami-Dade detectives accompanied sheriff's deputies to the residence where the boat was last seen. The man who lived there said his nephew had parked the boat there, but had removed it a couple of days before. He also confirmed his nephew drives a white Cadillac SUV, and identified the vehicle from a photograph.
When detectives contacted the nephew, 22-year old Yadiel Valera, he told them someone had given him the boat. He said he didn't know the person's name and couldn't tell detectives where the boat was located; when pressed for more information, he stopped communicating with them.
On March 30th, the boat, motors and trailer were found abandoned in Miami-Dade County. Valera was arrest and charge with grand theft.
