NEED TO KNOW
Dennis Michael Millwood, 55, was arrested on a charge of second-degree grand theft
Millwood was taken into custody after a law enforcement sting operation
He is accused of stealing a $55,000 Rolex
A UPS driver, who was a target of a law enforcement sting in Florida, is accused of stealing a $55,000 Rolex.
Dennis Michael Millwood, 55, was arrested on a charge of second-degree grand theft on Thursday, June 25.
Investigators with UPS and the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office’s Organized Retail Crime (ORC) Squad began investigating after a series of thefts involving packages stolen while in transit from the company’s Hialeah distribution center.
According to an arrest affidavit obtained by PEOPLE, surveillance footage allegedly showed Millwood removing packages from an area that was not assigned to his delivery route and then loading them into his truck.
On June 9, a UPS investigator allegedly observed Millwood loading a large package not assigned to his route into his truck. He later claimed that the package was mistakenly loaded onto his truck and then transferred to another driver whose job was rerouting misrouted packages.
The package was delivered, but after opening it, the recipient discovered a $55,000 Rolex watch was missing.
UPS investigators allegedly found on another occasion four additional packages not assigned to his route in his truck. One of those packages had been opened and resealed, according to the arrest affidavit.
On June 25, investigators with UPS and members of the sheriff’s retail crime squad set up a sting involving two packages containing Samsung cellular phones and a GPS tracking device.
The packages were sealed “using a special security dye mechanism designed to release a red dye if the package was opened without authorization,” per the affidavit.
Investigators monitoring live surveillance footage allegedly observed Millwood take the two controlled packages and place them into his truck.
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The sheriff’s department followed Millwood during the first part of his route.
Investigators claim Millwood pulled over at a Miami address and opened one of the packages containing the red dye.
“Upon opening the package and removing the Samsung cellular telephones and GPS tracking device, the security dye pack activated and released red dye onto defendant Millwood’s hands,” the affidavit states, adding that he was observed “acting frantically in an apparent attempt to remove the dye from his hands using a personal towel, paper products, and water.”
Millwood allegedly continued making deliveries but was taken into custody later that day.
Inside the truck, investigators found the package that “had been resealed and placed back on a package rack,” according to the affidavit.
When questioned by police about the Rolex, Millwood allegedly said he remembered the box but denied taking the luxury item.
“He later stated that he gave the watch to a friend named Chris after holding the watch for a week,” the affidavit alleges. “Defendant Millwood did not want him to get Chris in trouble and refused to provide any other information on him. Defendant Millwood stated that he would go get the watch and return it if he was released.”
When asked by investigators why he took packages not assigned to his route, Millwood allegedly told them he “does that all the time.”
Read the original article on People