Man arrested for stealing boat

 

A 30-year-old Miami man was arrested Monday for stealing a $60,000 commercial fishing boat from a Marathon resident.

 

Cristian Torres Perez was charged with grand theft and burglary.

 

The Sheriff’s Office responded to Avenue A at approximately 8:24 a.m. where the victim stated his 40-foot fishing vessel had been stolen. The victim stated a former employee from Cuba, Torres Perez, recently quit and had been talking about returning to Cuba as he disliked living in the U.S.

 

The Sheriff’s Office reported the stolen vessel and coordinated with multiple law enforcement partners, including Key Colony Beach Police, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations.

 

Hours later, the U.S. Coast Guard contacted the victim stating his emergency beacon was activated about 50 miles south of Key West. A U.S. Coast Guard aircraft spotted the vessel and the sole occupant waving his arms for help. The vessel had become inoperable. A tanker in the area picked up the sole occupant — Torres Perez. The U.S. Coast Guard then transported him to Key West.

 

Torres Perez was taken to jail.