Surveillance Video Shows Armed Robber Stealing Salmon From Publix Store

WEST MIAMI (CBSMIAMI) - There's a safety alert about a brazen bandit who West Miami Police said robbed a Publix Supermarket while displaying a knife and who "may have done this many times before."

CBS4 has obtained surveillance tape of the incident that happened at 2:45 p.m. this past Tuesday inside the Publix Supermarket at 1500 S.W. 57th Ave.

West Miami Police Major Pete Delgado told CBS4's Peter D'Oench, "This is the first time something like this has happened. He could have hurt the manager or somebody else if they tried to stop him while he was stealing the food."

He said the suspect fled with $60 worth of salmon.

Delgado says the man originally approached the seafood counter.

"He ordered a bunch of salmon and put the salmon in his backpack and he proceeded to go to the check-out counter and had two packages he attempted to pay for," said Delgado.

Surveillance tape shows the man trying to use a debit or credit card but it didn't work because he didn't have money.

"When the manager confronted him he said he needed to put the salmon back and he pulled up his shirt and showed the manager a knife and said I have a knife, at which point the manager backed off," said Delgado.

A police report said the man had a small, silver folding pocketknife and when the manager asked to look in his backpack, the man said, "No, I have drugs in there."

Surveillance tape captures the man leaving the store on a bicycle he'd had rented.

"His whole attitude, in looking at this video it looks like he has done this many times before and our concern is not only for our own residents but for the Gables residents because they have a number of Publix stores in their jurisdiction," said Delgado

"I would say he is about five foot six or five foot seven with a thin build. He is a Hispanic male and he was wearing a face covering so we could not tell what he looked like," he added.

A police report says the man was wearing a long chain with baggy pants and has an Asian letter on his neck.

It's possible he could live in the area.

He was seeing fleeting north on 57th Avenue and then turning eastbound on SW 13th Terrace towards Coral Gables.

He is wanted for armed robbery with a deadly weapon.

D'Oench asked Delgado "What would it mean to get this man off the street?"

"It would mean our residents would be safe and everyone inside Publix would be safe," he replied.

If you can help find him, call West Miami Police at (305) 266-0530 or Miami-Dade CrimeStoppers at (305) 471-TIPS (8477).