A Florida man tried hiding in an unusual spot last week to avoid arrest, only to be quickly discovered by a law enforcement drone, video shows.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were sent to the Town Center Mall in Brandon, located east of Tampa, just after 5:20 p.m. on July 4, to check out a report of an alleged retail theft. They were told by mall security that the suspect had likely run into a nearby wooded area.
Scanning the area using a drone, deputies quickly located the suspect, identified as 55-year-old Ricardo Claudio Diaz, “emerging from a sewer grate, believing deputies were no longer nearby,” according to the sheriff’s office.ย
You can try to hide, but when #teamHCSO is in the air and on the ground, thereโs nowhere to run.
On July 4, 2025, just after 5:20 p.m., deputies responded to a retail theft at Brandon Town Center Mall. Mall security believed the suspect had run into a wooded area.
Using an agency-issued drone, our operator scanned the area and provided live video to patrol units. The drone soon located the suspect emerging from a sewer grate, believing deputies were no longer nearby.
Deputies were guided to where Ricardo Claudio Diaz, 55, was hiding and arrested him.
Diaz is now facing charges of:
– Wearing a Hood or Mask on the Property of Another
– Felony Petit Theft
– Resisting an Officer Without Violence
This is a strong example of how advanced technology and seamless teamwork help keep our community safe.
Posted by Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday, July 8, 2025
The drone video, which was posted on the sheriff’s office Facebook page, showed Diaz peeking out of the sewer and scanning his surroundings, not realizing law enforcement had eyes in the sky. Moments later, deputies arrived and pulled him out.
Diaz was arrested and is now facing charges of “wearing a hood or mask on the property of another, felony petit theft, and resisting an officer without violence,” according to the sheriff’s office.
John MacLauchlan
John MacLauchlan is a digital content producer for CBS Miami. He attended Florida State University and graduated with a Communications degree. John joined the CBS Miami digital team in February 2007.
