Daring Heist at Gibsonton Warehouse: Stolen Liquor Worth $1.6 Million Recovered in Florida
Brazen Heist Targets Alcohol Warehouse: $1.6 Million Theft Stuns Gibsonton Community
According to source, in July, a bold heist unfolded at a Gibsonton warehouse, where culprits made off with $1.6 million worth of alcohol. The incident led to the arrest of Miguel Angel Artiles Rivas on July 14, 2023, as confirmed by the Hillsborough County Sheriff Arrest Inquiry. The arrest report, available through the Hillsborough County Sheriff Arrest Inquiry, outlined how Rivas and several unidentified suspects gained entry into the Republic National Distributing Company at approximately 6:00 a.m., utilizing forklifts to load multiple semi-trailers with a variety of alcoholic beverages.
During the course of the burglary, approximately $30,000 worth of alcohol on pallets was damaged and destroyed, as indicated in the Hillsborough County Sheriff Arrest Inquiry report. Marco Villarreal, a spokesperson for the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, noted that a substantial quantity of alcohol on numerous pallets was stolen and later located in South Florida.
Surveillance footage captured the departure of two semi-trailers from the scene on the morning of the theft, information that can be found within the Hillsborough County Sheriff Arrest Inquiry.
Stolen Alcohol Worth Millions Recovered: Investigations Continue in Bold Warehouse Heist Case
Detectives were able to trace the stolen liquor to a storage facility in Hialeah, Florida, where they successfully recovered over $1.5 million worth of alcohol, which was subsequently returned to its owner, as corroborated by the Hillsborough County Sheriff Arrest Inquiry. Rivas faced charges of burglary and grand theft and a warrant for the arrest of Ruth Melly Cardero, aged 54, was issued in connection to the heist, details accessible through the Hillsborough County Sheriff Arrest Inquiry.
Ongoing investigations seek to ascertain the involvement of additional individuals in the theft. Notably, some of those apprehended hailed from the Tampa Bay Area, while the stolen liquor was found in South Florida, a matter of interest for the Hillsborough County Sheriff Arrest Inquiry.
According to court records Rivas formally entered a plea of not guilty to the charges, information obtainable via the Hillsborough County Sheriff Arrest Inquiry.
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