A Cuban national found himself incarcerated on Tuesday, accused of a series of thefts from various Miami businesses. He was caught redeeming lottery ticket winnings that he had stolen during these burglaries. The suspect, identified as Yoamil Nápoles, aged 49, saw his streak of luck run out when Miami police apprehended him on charges including burglary, grand theft, property damage, and trafficking stolen goods, according to local TV reports that accessed Miami-Dade jail records.
Nápoles, along with an accomplice who remains at large, launched a spree of burglaries in the county last month. The first of these break-ins occurred on January 11, between 4:00 and 5:00 a.m., at Jimmy's Discount Store, a discount shop located at 4589 Northwest 7th Street, Flagami. The thieves ransacked the counter and front shelves, making off with cartons of cigarettes, watches, and rolls of scratch-off lottery tickets.
Surveillance cameras captured one of the culprits placing the stolen items into a bag before ripping out the cash register and fleeing with the haul. The stolen goods were valued at approximately $7,000, according to the police report. Nápoles and his associate were seen wearing gloves and hooded sweatshirts to conceal their identities, as revealed by footage from a camera positioned at the rear of the store.
The police noted that the arrested individual and his accomplice also burglarized Estrella Insurance, located adjacent to Jimmy's Discount Store. They gained access by using a crowbar to break through the drywall separating the two businesses. On January 21, detectives received a list of stores where the stolen lottery tickets were being cashed.
Footage from a business on Northwest 17th Street showed Nápoles scanning and redeeming the stolen tickets, dressed identically to the suspect recorded during the earlier robbery. Two weeks after the initial incident, on January 25, another burglary took place at a Kwik Stop located at 764 Northwest 29th Street, Allapattah. According to the arrest report, Nápoles entered the store through the kitchen roof, stealing $450 in cash, around $2,000 worth of cigarettes, and an additional $2,000 in lottery tickets.
A detective reported that he also inflicted approximately $2,000 worth of damage to the store's roof. Subsequently, the Cuban was recorded in other establishments while claiming lottery prizes. Police officers detained him on Tuesday, and he confessed to the crimes. His girlfriend also identified him in photographs.
The suspect appeared in Miami-Dade criminal court on Wednesday. During the hearing, a Miami police officer suggested that Nápoles might be part of a group suspected of executing similar thefts. The judge ordered that the Cuban remain in the TGK county jail without bail.
Details Surrounding the Miami Lottery Ticket Thefts
What charges is Yoamil Nápoles facing?
Yoamil Nápoles is facing charges of burglary, grand theft, property damage, and trafficking stolen goods.
How did the thieves gain entry to the businesses?
In one instance, the thieves used a crowbar to break through drywall; in another, they entered through the roof of a store's kitchen.
What evidence led to Nápoles' arrest?
Surveillance footage captured Nápoles redeeming stolen lottery tickets, wearing clothing identical to that worn during the robberies.