By james art 
A Cuban man is currently being sought by law enforcement in connection with a series of liquor store robberies in Hialeah, one of which included the theft of three bottles of whiskey valued at approximately $500. The incident occurred on October 13, just before 11:00 p.m. closing time at El Gigante Liquor #2, one of the city’s oldest liquor stores. The suspect approached the store counter, apparently to pay for the alcohol, but instead warned the clerk not to interfere as he intended to steal the bottles. He then fled the scene.
William Cholo, manager of the store located at 560 Hialeah Drive, told AmericaTeVé that the suspect entered under the pretense of buying alcohol and started wandering around. “When we were about to close, I was busy counting money and tidying up. He grabbed three bottles and whispered, “I’m taking these, don’t do anything” and I was frozen, unable to act. All of a sudden he took off,” Cholo shared.
Concerned for his safety, Cholo did not know if the thief was armed and preferred to remain calm. After the man left, Cholo saw him get into a waiting car and drive away. The theft and escape were caught on the store’s surveillance cameras. According to Cholo, the suspect took two bottles of Macallan whiskey and one 18-year-old bottle of Dewar, valued at $400 to $500 in total. During a television interview, the manager claimed that the suspect’s accent indicated he was Cuban and that he did not hide his face during the robbery. The suspect was wearing an “I’m Chucky” hat.
After the incident, the owner of the liquor store filed a police report. A few days later, however, the same suspect showed up at another liquor store owned by the same owner, TLG Liquors at 405 Hialeah Drive, wearing the same hat. This time he didn’t steal anything, but he showed interest in the same stamps he took before. He even exchanged a few words with the owner, who recognized him. The owner tried to follow him, but he was already gone.
Increased thefts worry local business owners
“He might have got in a car and left. It’s strange that he was wearing the same hat. Who does that and makes it so obvious? Fortunately, he didn’t show a weapon. It’s been less than two weeks since the first robbery, which suggests he’s scouting the area for vulnerabilities,” noted Oscar, the concerned liquor store owner.
Oscar and his family have been in the liquor retail business in Miami-Dade County for many years, but recently they have witnessed a disturbing increase in thefts. In 2024 alone, they experienced over ten robberies, resulting in significant financial losses. Oscar emphasizes that in each case the thieves are aware that their actions are being recorded by surveillance cameras and the footage is being provided to the authorities.