Otniel Rodriguez, a man from Hialeah, is facing charges after being caught on camera vandalizing gaming machines and stealing cash at a local café on Tuesday. According to police, Rodriguez was identified as the suspect in the surveillance footage wearing a wig, a hat, and a mask that concealed his face. He was seen entering the Rainbow Café on West 19th Street and using an axe to smash several gaming machines inside the establishment while one man was present.
Investigators revealed that Rodriguez committed a similar offense on February 29th at a Hialeah gas station, where he used a small hammer to damage three gaming machines and steal money. The owners of the Rainbow Café expressed their gratitude for the quick response of the Hialeah Police Department in investigating and apprehending Rodriguez. They praised the police for their efforts in solving the case.
Rodriguez appeared before a Miami-Dade bond court judge on Wednesday, where he was charged with burglary, grand theft, and criminal mischief. The judge stated that he destroyed three gaming machines and stole $7,000 in cash during the incident. The exact amount of money stolen from each machine was not disclosed by police.
Following his arrest, Rodriguez was booked into jail and remained in custody as of Thursday morning. Information about legal representation for Rodriguez was not available at the time of publication. It is unclear if this is his first time being arrested or if he has any prior convictions related to these charges or other crimes involving gaming machines or theft.
