Employee charged with stealing truck, trailer and bobcat

An 18 year old Key Largo man was arrested Wednesday, charged with stealing a truck with a trailer and bobcat attached to it from his employer.

The owner of the equipment told Deputy Nicholas Thaler the theft took place on October 30th from his Tavernier residence. He said his employee, 18 year old Manuel Hernandez, was washing the 2015 Ford F450 dump truck which had an equipment trailer carrying a 2016 Bobcat on it. He said he went upstairs and when he returned, Hernandez was gone along with the truck and equipment.

While deputies on patrol looked for the stolen equipment, the owner also began looking for it. He found it, along with Hernandez, at the Publix grocery store at the 101 mile marker in Key Largo. He confronted Hernandez, who fled.

The truck and equipment were recovered with no damage. A warrant was obtained for Hernandez. He was picked up in Miami-Dade county  on November 10th and on Wednesday, he was returned to Monroe County where he was charged with three counts of grand theft and he was taken to jail.

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