MIAMI (CBSMiami) – New surveillance video shows a disturbing image at a Winn Dixie Supermarket in South Miami when police say a thief who is leaving the store turns around and points a gun at an employee and a customer.
CBS4’s Peter D’Oench has obtained exclusive surveillance video of the incident that happened around 4 p.m. on Tuesday of last week at the store in the 5800 block of S.W. 73rd St.
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Detective Fernando Bosch said the surveillance video shows the man walking down an aisle before stealing more than 20 rib-eye and T-bone steaks worth more than $500.
Bosch said it is not clear why the man pointed at his gun at two other people and it is fortunate that no one was injured.
“He saw an employee following him so he turned around and pointed his gun,” said Bosch.
“He put at least two peoples’ lives in danger. Can you imagine of one of them would have had a gun. It would have turned out not so good. He might have had a drug problem. This can be fixed. There are programs out there. This guy is dangerous. I don’t recall the last time we have a case in broad daylight where someone pulled a gun on somebody to steal steaks. This young man has issues. He is armed and dangerous.”
Bosch also said he has identified the suspect as 27-year-old Nicholas Anthony Marino and said he may be living with a woman and said he has a grandmother in Hialeah. He also said Marino has a warrant for him for a crime in Charleston, South Carolina and has committed theft and burglary in Hialeah and has shoplifted on 2 occasions in Coral Gables.
”This individual we know has shoplifted at Publix before and has also committed a burglary a commercial business and now he has graduated to armed robbery now and we need to get him off the street,” said Bosch.
“He is seen wearing a t-shirt of a private school. But he never attended that private school and he probably picked up the shirt at a Goodwill.”
CBS4 also showed the video to Winn Dixie customers.
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Izabella Bessenyey said, “That is pretty scary, with a Winn Dixie employee in danger. That would be pretty scary with a gun pointed at me.”
Sahily Perez said, “People are crazy right now. It’s happening everywhere, not just Winnie Dixie but everywhere.”
Another customer who did not want to give her name said, “I think it’s horrible. I think people can just get a gun walking down the street. Something’s got to be wrong with this person unless he was trying to keep people from coming after him. I would like to see anybody like this caught after walking around threatening people with a gun.”
In a statement from Winn Dixie, Meredith Hurley, Director of Public Relations and Community for Southeastern Grocers, said “We are taking this matter very seriously because the safety of our associates and customers is our highest priority. We are grateful that no one was injured in this incident and we are fully cooperating with local law enforcement on this active investigation and defer any updates to them.”
Anyone who can help South Miami Police should call them or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS (4377).
There have been other armed robberies at South Florida supermarkets that CBS4 has profiled in previous exclusive stories but they did not have guns.
CBS4 told you on Sept. 14th of 2020 about one robbery of a Publix supermarket at 1500 S.W. 57th Ave. in West Miami, in which a man with a stun gun stole $250 worth of merchandise. He was seen leaving the store with a backpack.
On Sept. 3rd of 2021, CBS4 told you about another robbery, in which a man who was also captured on surveillance video used a knife to steal $16 worth of salmon from the same store.
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West Miami Police say that thief had brandished his knife. Both men fled on their bicycles.
