A 28-year-old Cuban man, identified as Marco Yoan Rodríguez, was arrested on Monday night after threatening a manager and two employees at a Dollar Tree store in Miami during an attempted robbery earlier that morning.
The arrest report, cited by local media, reveals that Rodríguez attempted to enter the establishment located at 2905 NW 27th Avenue with a backpack shortly after 9:00 a.m. on August 26. The store manager informed Rodríguez that he could not enter with a backpack. The suspect left, walked to a red Cadillac Escalade in the parking lot, and returned without the bag.
Once inside the store, Rodríguez headed to the frozen food section, placed several items in a shopping basket, and walked past the checkout without paying for the items. When confronted by the manager and two employees, the Cuban man lifted his shirt, revealing a silver kitchen knife, and threatened the staff, saying, "Don't come closer. I'll cut you to pieces."
A second employee recalled that the suspect also said, "Don't come near me. I'm armed," according to the police.
The Cuban man fled the scene in the vehicle, but the store manager managed to take four photographs of the car, one of which captured the license plate. Authorities stated that tactical robbery detectives from the Miami Police Department were able to locate the vehicle shortly after the incident and arrested Rodríguez without incident.
A silver kitchen knife was found in the car behind the front passenger tire. The Cuban man appeared in Miami-Dade criminal court on Tuesday facing a charge of armed robbery with a firearm or deadly weapon.
Details on the Miami Dollar Tree Robbery Incident
To provide more insight into this incident, here are some frequently asked questions and their answers.
Who is Marco Yoan Rodríguez?
Marco Yoan Rodríguez is a 28-year-old Cuban man who was arrested for threatening store employees during an attempted robbery at a Dollar Tree store in Miami.
Where did the robbery attempt take place?
The robbery attempt took place at a Dollar Tree store located at 2905 NW 27th Avenue in Miami.
How did the authorities locate Rodríguez?
Authorities located Rodríguez by using photographs taken by the store manager, which included the license plate of his vehicle.