Two bumbling employees at a Florida port were arrested for art theft after being caught on surveillance video allegedly stealing tens of thousands of dollars in artwork.
Port workers charged for art theft
Angel Prudhomme, 27, and Tangela Park, 50, are facing second-degree grand theft charges after investigators say the duo stole artwork worth more than $50,000.
In addition, Park has been charged with criminal mischief due to the damage left behind during the theft.
According to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, the arrests were made last week after an internal investigation revealed the theft. Both suspects were employed as county workers at the time of the incident.
Authorities launched a probe after a tip was received by public corruption investigators, leading to a review of security footage.
The video showed Prudhomme and Park removing art pieces from Terminal G at the Miami port and loading them into vehicles.
Surveillance footage from May 12 showed Prudhomme taking pieces off the wall and stashing them in a stairwell.
Additional footage reportedly captured him placing marble and mosaic art into trash bags and cans in an effort to conceal the stolen items while avoiding surveillance cameras.
The next day, the footage revealed Prudhomme transferring the stolen pieces into Park’s vehicle.
Port workers destroy pieces in botched art theft
However, the plan began to unravel when 12 of the 24 ripped-off artworks were destroyed during removal and ended up being left behind at the terminal. Those pieces were later recovered by the Sea Port General Investigations unit.
The rest of the artwork, also found to be damaged, was located on Wednesday at Prudhomme’s home and in his vehicle.
According to the art collection manager, the value of the stolen art was estimated at $50,000.
Sheriff Rose Cordero-Stutz weighed in on the case. “As Sheriff of Miami-Dade County, I take individuals using their employment to steal very seriously,” she said. “I am committed to ensuring that anyone involved in dishonest actions will be held accountable.”
Both suspects reportedly confessed and were booked at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
Thief caught with $10K in stolen Legos
Elsewhere in the country, another case of botched theft played out in Washington, where a man was arrested after allegedly stealing a large stash of Lego sets worth $10,000 earlier this year.
Caylan Andrew Guerra, 32, was taken into custody following an investigation that tied him to a burglary at Sasquatch Bricks Toy Store in University Place on February 13.
Authorities linked Guerra to a storage unit located about a mile from the toy store. When officers arrived, they found him sleeping in his car outside the facility.
Body camera footage captured the moment multiple officers approached the vehicle. “Step out of the car or we’re going to take you out of the car,” one officer warned.
Another shouted, “Get your hands out of your pocket!” When Guerra did not comply, one officer broke the driver’s side window and pulled him out.
“The suspect had an extensive history for property crimes and weapons violations so deputies did not want to waste time getting him detained,” the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release.
“Here is a HUGE shoutout to the University Place Investigator for piecing all this together and finishing this Lego set. Hopefully this suspect will stay in prison this time,” the release stated.
During the search of the storage unit, officers discovered firearms, illegal drugs, digital scales, small baggies, and the stolen Lego sets.
The police report also revealed that one of the recovered firearms had been reported stolen. In addition, authorities found large quantities of methamphetamine, two bags of fentanyl, and stolen debit and credit cards.
Guerra’s past offenses include driving with a suspended license, property crimes involving deadly weapons, and trafficking stolen goods. He was arraigned and his bail was set at $175,000.
Investigators believe Guerra broke into the toy store in the early morning hours and escaped in a U-Haul before deputies could arrive on the scene to find the store had been vandalized.
He was charged with possession of stolen property, unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of a stolen firearm, unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, and obstructing law enforcement officers.
