A contractor employee at Miami International Airport was taken into custody on Thursday, charged with taking and selling a luxury watch that a passenger accidentally left behind on a plane, according to authorities.
The individual arrested is Carlos Elky Penton, a 45-year-old resident of Hialeah, who was employed by Eulen, a contractor responsible for servicing aircraft post-deboarding.
The incident began on June 8, when the victim arrived in Miami on an American Airlines flight from North Carolina and left a black leather crossbody bag on the plane. The bag contained approximately $12,377 in valuable items, including a Cartier Santos watch and a pair of AirPods.
In the days that followed, the passenger was able to track his AirPods via an app near the airport until the signal stopped updating.
On July 1, the victim discovered what he believed to be his watch listed for sale on a New York-based vintage watch website. Identification was confirmed by a distinctive mark on the top left of the watch's bezel, which the passenger verified with his own photographs.
Tracing the Watch's Journey
Detectives from the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office traced the watch's path through legal subpoenas, tracking it from a Miami jewelry store to a local broker, then onto another intermediary, and finally to the New York website where it was located.
Records from Vera Jewelry, located on Miami's Calle Ocho, showed that Penton sold the watch just three days after the incident for $1,500, a sum far below its actual market value. Steel versions of the watch range from $5,900 to $7,500, with two-tone models potentially exceeding $12,000.
Arrest and Charges
Authorities found Penton behind a residence in Hialeah on Thursday and arrested him. Having waived his Miranda rights, Penton told investigators he was not working the day the bag disappeared and claimed another Eulen employee handed him the watch.
Nevertheless, the arrest report notes that "the defendant admitted he does not own the watch and did not know the owner," and that "he gained personally from selling the watch."
Penton is facing a charge of trafficking in stolen property and was taken to Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center for processing, with bail set at $7,500.
Airport Security and Theft Incidents
In response to the case, Miami International Airport emphasized that "all items found on its premises should be turned into Miami-Dade Aviation's lost and found department."
This incident is part of a series of thefts involving airport employees and contractors. Earlier this month, two other individuals were arrested for stealing $27,000 in luggage from the same terminal, and last December, a serial thief was apprehended facing five counts of grand theft.
As of the time of report publication, it was unclear if the watch had been returned to its rightful owner.
Understanding the Implications of Airport Thefts
What charges is Carlos Elky Penton facing?
Carlos Elky Penton is facing a charge of trafficking in stolen property.
How was the stolen watch identified?
The watch was identified by a distinctive mark on its bezel, confirmed by the owner's photographs.
What is the Miami International Airport's policy on found items?
The airport requires that all items found on its premises be handed over to Miami-Dade Aviation's lost and found department.