MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – (January 30, 2025) Law enforcement authorities in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, have successfully apprehended three individuals from Florida in connection with a multi-state organized retail theft operation. The arrests were the result of a coordinated effort involving the Murfreesboro Police Department’s Crime Data Analysis Unit, license plate reader cameras, and support from the Smyrna Police Department, Henderson Police Department, and Goodlettsville Police Department.
The suspects, identified as Alexander Trujillo Gomez, 48, Xavier Perez, 52, and Lazaro Salazar Hechavarria, 28, all hailing from Miami, face numerous charges. These include two counts of burglary, theft of property valued at $250,000 and over, and vandalism over $1,000. The trio has been accused of stealing eyewear worth over $1 million from various Sunglass Hut locations across multiple states.
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The Murfreesboro Police Department arrested the suspects following a burglary at the Sunglass Hut on Medical Center Parkway on January 26, where more than $284,329 worth of merchandise and nearly $2,000 in cash were reportedly stolen. Similar incidents have been linked to the group in Hendersonville, Tennessee, as well as Gaffney and Beaufort, South Carolina.
The investigation relied heavily on crime data analysts from the Murfreesboro Police Department’s Real Time Crime Center. They tracked the suspects’ movements using a 2022 Pacifica minivan rented in Miami, which was identified as the vehicle used in the thefts. The minivan was later spotted in Goodlettsville, Tennessee, on January 29.
The suspects attempted to ship three boxes of stolen sunglasses to Miami; however, they were refused service when they declined to reveal the contents of the boxes. The Real Time Crime Center continued monitoring, receiving an alert on Sam Ridley Parkway in Smyrna. With assistance from Smyrna Police Department officers, the suspects were detained at a UPS store, where they had managed to pay for the shipment of the stolen goods to Florida. Murfreesboro Police Department officers intercepted the shipment and seized the minivan.
Detective Aaron Gonzalez from the Criminal Investigation Division commented on the case, stating, “These arrests underscore the effectiveness of intelligence-led policing in combating organized crime. This case highlights the importance of using modern technology like LPR cameras, support from our crime data analysts, and other law enforcement agencies.”
The investigation is ongoing, and additional charges may be filed in Hendersonville and South Carolina. The suspects remain in custody at the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center, each held on a $1 million bond. A hearing on the charges is scheduled for February 13 in General Sessions Court.
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