3 Men Arrested in Million Dollar Sunglasses Theft
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WZTV)
January 31, 2025
Three men from Florida were arrested Thursday in connection with a multi-state organized retail theft ring, according to Murfreesboro Police Department.
The suspects are accused of stealing more than $1 million worth of merchandise from Sunglass Hut locations across the United States.
Alexander Trujillo Gomez, 48, Xavier Perez, 52, and Lazaro Salazar Hechavarria, 28, are all from Miami and face multiple charges, including two counts of burglary, theft of property valued at $250,000 and over, and vandalism over $1,000.
The trio is accused of burglarizing the Sunglass Hut on Medical Center Parkway on Sunday, Jan. 26.
More than $284,329 worth of merchandise and nearly $2,000 cash were stolen.
They are suspected of similar burglaries at Sunglass Huts in Hendersonville as well as shops in South Carolina.
Investigators were able to identify a 2022 Pacifica minivan, rented in Miami, Florida, as the vehicle used in the heists. The minivan was spotted in Goodlettsville on Wednesday, Jan. 29. The suspects attempted to ship three boxes of stolen sunglasses to Miami. The men allegedly were refused service when they wouldn’t open the boxes to show what was inside.
A license plate reader alert of the minivan showed that it was in Smryna, leading to officers arresting the three suspects at a UPS store, where they had paid to ship the stolen goods to Florida. MPD was able to stop the package from being sent and also seized the minivan.
The case remains under investigation. Salazar-Hechavarria, Trujillo-Gomez, and Perez are all being held on a $1 million bond. A hearing on the charges is set for Feb. 13.
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