Cristian Torres-Perez, 30, of Miami is in the Monroe County Jail after he stole a commercial fishing vessel worth approximately $60,000 because he disliked America and wanted to return to his home in Cuba.
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Officials said Torres Perez, who had been living in Miami since coming to America, stole a 40-foot commercial fishing boat worth around $60,000 from his former employer and wanted to sail it to Cuba. The boat’s owner said Torres-Perez, a former employee, had recently quit and had been talking about returning to Cuba as he disliked living in the U.S., officials said.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office launched the investigation into the theft with the assistance of multiple law enforcement agencies, including Key Colony Beach Police, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations.
ILL-FATED RETURN: Authorities say a 30-year-old Miami man, sick of living in the U.S., stole a fishing boat and tried to go back to Cuba. But his return trip to the island hit a serious snag. https://t.co/YlSbi51y45
— WPLG Local 10 News (@WPLGLocal10) November 8, 2022
A man was arrested for stealing a boat from a Marathon resident because, police said, he disliked living in the U.S. and wanted to return to Cuba. https://t.co/cqRjRPPnxu
— WSVN 7 News (@wsvn) November 8, 2022
The story of the largest increase in maritime migration from Cuba to South Florida in nearly a decade took a twist this week.https://t.co/FIcmizTaW1
— David Goodhue (@DavidGoodhue) November 8, 2022
Torres-Perez was captured a short time later heading south when the U.S. Coast Guard discovered the boat’s emergency beacon was activated about 50 miles south of Key West. The Coast Guard responded by air and found the boat and Torres Perez, who was waving his arms for help after the boat became inoperable, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office officials said.
A tanker that was in the area picked up Cristian Torres-Perez until law enforcement arrived.
Cristian Torres-Perez was later booked into the Monroe County Jail main facility in Key West and charged with grand theft of more than $20k but less than $100k and burglary to an unoccupied conveyance. His bail was set at $150,000, and his arraignment is scheduled for November 18th, 2022, at 8:45 a.m.
I’m not sure why Torres-Perez dislikes America and would prefer living in Cuba, but I’m sure that there are plenty of Cubans living under communism that would gladly trade with him.
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