A man accused of being a serial thief who stole dozens of key fobs from rental cars at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport is now facing over 100 additional charges for similar crimes at Miami International Airport, authorities said.
Armando Martinez, 31, was charged Tuesday with 131 counts of burglary and five counts of grand theft in Miami-Dade, an arrest warrant said.
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Last week, Martinez was arrested in Broward County on 143 counts of burglary of a conveyance and six counts of grand theft, Broward Sheriff's Office officials said.
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Detectives began to investigate in late 2021 when more than 100 key fobs were stolen from rental car companies at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
Similar crimes were committed on several occasions in 2022 until December when detectives identified Martinez as the suspect, officials said.
According to the arrest warrant, detectives found surveillance footage of the burglary suspect speaking with an employee at the car rental center. The employee picked Martinez out of a photo lineup, the warrant said.
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Martinez later confessed to the crimes, detectives said.
Broward Sheriff's Office officials said they notified authorities at Miami International Airport of the arrest due to similar crimes occurring there.
According to the warrant, Martinez was connected to at least two large key fob thefts at MIA, including one in February 2022 when 82 fobs were stolen from rental car companies and one in July when 49 key fobs were stolen.
The value of the key fobs stolen was more than $32,000, but Martinez told detectives he sold them for $20 to $25 a piece, the warrant said.
Martinez was booked into the Miami-Dade jail Tuesday and remained held on a $680,000 bond, records showed. Attorney information wasn't available.
