FRUITLAND PARK. Florida—A Miami man was busted with five catalytic converters and methamphetamine late Wednesday night after a business owner noticed him driving in and walking around the closed business on his security cameras.
Fruitland Park Police responded to Serenity Surfaces, 2860 U.S. Highway 27/441 just before 9:30 p.m. Wednesday after the owner spotted a vehicle driving into the business with no headlights. Elieser Rodriguez, 21, exited the vehicle and began walking around several vehicles on the property, according to the arrest affidavit.
FPPD found Rodriguez, who was wearing a black hoodie and black pants, on the premises walking away from a wooded area not normally used for business traffic. Officers searched the exterior of the truck Rodriguez was driving and found two catalytic converters that appeared to be freshly cut from vehicles, the affidavit states. Officers also found a vehicle jack, battery-operated saw, manual pipe cutter and bolt cutters; Rodriguez said those items belonged to his friend, the owner of the truck.
Rodriguez said he was on his way from Miami to his uncle’s home in Clermont and stopped at the business because the truck was overheating. Rodriguez passed an open convenience store before he stopped at the business and Fruitland Park is not “within any direct route from Miami to Clermont,” the arresting officer noted. When Rodriguez was asked for his uncle’s address, he opened his phone and it displayed a satellite map of Serenity Surfaces, not an address in Clermont.
Rodriguez was placed under arrest and upon searching the truck, police found a glass pipe that field tested positive for methamphetamine and three additional catalytic converters, along with a black face mask, gloves and a drill.
Rodriguez is facing several charges, including possession of methamphetamine, possession of burglary tools, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving while license suspended and loitering and prowling. He was transported to the Lake County Jail, where he was released Friday on $100,000 bond.
