A Miami man was arrested for stealing 400 pounds of avocados from a private, fenced grove, saying he wanted to sell them for Christmas gifts.

A 29-year-old Miami man, Edel Perez, was arrested for allegedly stealing about 400 pounds of avocados from a fenced private grove in the early morning of December 22. Officers found him, dressed in black, gathering fruit and loading bags into a black Mercedes. Perez, who said he was unemployed, told investigators he planned to sell the avocados to buy Christmas presents for his children. The grove was secured with fencing and marked “no trespassing.” He faces theft and trespassing charges, and the case remains under investigation.