WELLINGTON, Fla. (CBS12) — A Wellington man lost nearly $50,000 in silver after deputies say a suspect stalked a delivery truck for hours and posed as the homeowner to steal the shipment.
Deputies with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office say they received a call from the victim on March 14 after he realized two packages containing silver coins, bars, and rounds he ordered from Money Metals Exchange had been stolen.
Although FedEx records showed the items were delivered to his residence on Bent Creek Road two days prior, Berman told deputies he never received them.
Investigators say the theft was a calculated operation.
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On March 12, surveillance footage from the community shows a black Ford Ranger—later identified as the vehicle of 23-year-old Elijah Tate of Miami by its distinct driver’s-side bumper damage—tailgating another vehicle to gain entry through the community’s security gate.
The truck reportedly remained parked on the residential street for over four hours, waiting for the FedEx delivery driver to arrive.
The suspect approached the courier, claiming to be the rightful owner, and presented a fraudulent identification card to sign for the high-value cargo. The courier, believing the suspect was the resident, handed over the packages.
The case broke when Tate’s former employer reviewed dashcam footage and immediately identified the suspect as his ex-employee.
After locating him on Thursday, deputies established probable cause to book Tate for one count of grand theft of $20,000 to $100,000 and one count of using personal information without consent involving $5,000 or more.