The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office stated Monday that two men from Miami-Dade County were arrested Sunday during a home burglary in the Florida Keys.
The burglary was reported around 5 p.m. on Blackbeard Lane on Cudjoe Key, according to MCSO spokesperson Adam Linhardt.
Linhardt said deputies later recovered the stolen items, which had a total estimated value of $2,000 at the time. Stif Robert Benitez, 28, of Homestead, was arrested on burglary and tampering with evidence charges, while Derek Gonzalez, 27, of Miami, was detained on tampering with evidence and being an accessory to burglary charges.
Linhardt stated that the victim reported the burglary after witnessing one suspect wearing a mask and hoodie depart the scene in a Toyota SUV with a lock box.
The victim gave deputies the vehicle’s license plate number, security video footage, and “other information,” Linhardt said.
The vehicle was later halted on US Highway 1 in Marathon, and both individuals were apprehended.
According to Linhardt, the lockbox contained a gold ring, four firearms, and ammo.