By Ciara Perez, Investigative Reporter | iSkyCreations - News & Media (ISC) Published March 14th, 2024
PALM COAST, FL – In a significant breakthrough, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office announced the capture of a suspect linked to a violent jewelry store robbery in Houston, Texas, that resulted in over $1 million in stolen goods. The arrest, made on Tuesday, March 12, underscores the effective cross-country collaboration between law enforcement agencies.
The sequence of events leading to the arrest began just before 6 p.m. when deputies were alerted by the Real Time Crime Center about a Black Chevrolet Tahoe with a Maryland license plate. The vehicle was believed to be connected to the suspects of a violent armed robbery in Houston, occurring just three days prior. The robbery involved the theft of jewelry and cash with a total value exceeding $1 million, with the perpetrators considered armed and dangerous.
Deputies located the suspect vehicle in a parking lot off Kings Way in Palm Coast. Although the Tahoe's license plate was obscured by a cover, law enforcement observed two males loading groceries into the vehicle before it departed, blatantly running a stop sign. After a brief follow, deputies executed a high-risk traffic stop on Palm Coast Parkway NW, detaining two Hispanic males without incident.
The driver, identified as Asdrubal Rodriguez, 35, admitted to not holding a driver's license in the United States or his home country of Cuba. Despite an extensive search across all 50 states, no driver's license record was found for Rodriguez, leading to his arrest for driving without a license. Utilizing Rapid-ID technology, FCSO verified Rodriguez's identity.
Further investigation, in collaboration with the Houston Police Department, led to a search warrant for the vehicle. Authorities recovered approximately $79,000 in cash and gold jewelry linked to the Houston robbery. Rodriguez confessed to his role in the heist, including acts of violence against the victims involving a pistol and pepper spray.
An ICE Detainer was issued for Rodriguez, who is currently held at the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility without bond. The passenger, Adrian Brook, was released after ICE declined involvement and is not believed to be connected to the robbery. Meanwhile, the Houston Police Department has obtained a warrant for Rodriguez for Aggravated Robbery with a Deadly Weapon.
“Another criminal made the fatal mistake of coming to Flagler County not knowing that we work with our partners across the country,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “Our Major Case detectives are working with detectives in Houston for his connection to the jewelry store heist. I commend our deputies and the amazing professionals in the Real Time Crime Center and our Communications Center for helping bring this criminal to justice.”
Sheriff Rick Staly praised the collaborative effort, stating, “Another criminal made the fatal mistake of coming to Flagler County not knowing that we work with our partners across the country.” He commended the deputies, the Real Time Crime Center, and the Communications Center for their roles in apprehending the suspect, reinforcing the commitment of Flagler County to justice and public safety.
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