A second man involved in stealing a boat in June of 2014 was booked into the Monroe County jail on Wednesday.
The boat and trailer were stolen and recovered in the early morning hours of June 14, 2014 when a sharp eyed deputy stopped a truck towing a boat on a trailer because the trailer had no functioning tail lights.
The truck was northbound from the 97 mile marker in Key Largo at 3:45 a.m. when Deputy Vaughn O’Keefe stopped it. He further noticed the license tag had duct tape on it obscuring the numbers and that the trailer appeared to have been attached to the truck in a hurry because the tow chains and wiring harness were not connected.
He found the driver of the Chevrolet truck, 38 year old Giovanny Lluis of Miami, had a suspended driver’s license so he arrested Lluis. Further investigation by Detective Sgt. Mark Coleman later in the day led to the identification of the boat’s owner, who lives in Miami. The owner said he keeps his boat in Key Largo and no one had permission to take it. He said the 2003 26 foot Hydra Sport with twin 200 HP engines on it is valued at $30,000.
Detectives seized the truck and obtained a search warrant to look inside. They found bolt cutters, screw drivers, pliers, gloves and other items believed to have been used during the course of the boat theft.
Lluis was further charged with grand theft and driving with license suspended.
A second man in the truck, 38 year old Edwin Santiago of Key Largo, had a lock in his pocket which appeared to have been cut. It was a lock consistent with those used to lock boat trailers. He was released at the scene, but detectives continued to investigate the case. During the course of the investigation, the owner of the boat produced keys that fit the lock found in Santiago’s possession.
A warrant was issued for his arrest and on Wednesday, he was charged with possession of burglary tools, burglary of a vehicle, grand theft and criminal mischief.