MIAMI (WSVN) - The City of Miami Police have identified a man wanted in connection to the theft of the “Naked Trump” statue in Wynwood, early Thursday morning.
Police would like to talk to 36-year-old Pedro Alejandro Rodriguez about the overnight grand theft. Rodriguez is described as a white male who was last seen at 120 San Souci Drive in Coral Gables. Police said the vehicle used in the crime is a 2013, gray, Ford F-150 truck, with the Florida license plate of CMW-M58.
The controversial naked sculpture of Donald Trump, titled “The Emperor Has No Balls” by the artist collective INDECLINE, was stolen from the property of Mana Wynwood, located along Northwest Second Avenue and 23rd Street, early Thursday morning.
The sculpture was on display for several days before it was stolen, said authorities.
“Someone made a political statement, and then someone else made a political statement back, taking it down,” said one person in Wynwood.
Police said they responded to the call from security guards around 3 a.m. The guards said they were patrolling the area when they saw a group of men load the statue into a pickup truck and take off.
Related: Giant naked Donald Trump statue resurfaces in Wynwood after being removed
7News spoke with a witness, Angel Pino, who said he tried to yell at the men to stop, but they kept going. “I was happening to be skateboarding over there on the other side, and I just seen the guys sneaking up, and he was already by the Donald Trump,” said Pino. “He just pulled it and ran, so I just ran after him and said ‘Stop! Stop!’ And then he just jumped, went in the truck and left, but before he left, I took that snap picture. It was perfect.”
Pino was able to get a picture of the pickup truck’s tag before it drove away. “He just didn’t want to stop, so I took the picture,” said Pino. “I’m not gonna like try to interfere or try to like get shot or anything like that over a Donald Trump.”
Police ran the plates from the photo and now want to talk to Rodriguez.
No one 7News spoke to in Wynwood recognized him.
“Not too familiar with him, but I recognize the statue,” said one man.
“Not at all no, never, doesn’t look familiar to me,” said another.
Another Wynwood pedestrian said he liked the statue. “I think it’s great, obviously because Donald … He’s a special person, you know,” he said.
This is the second location the statue has been displayed at. The statue was originally located atop a former RC Cola plant-turned event space, right in the heart of the Wynwood Arts District. However, police said, it needed to be taken down because it was distracting drivers along Interstate 95.
These Trump statues have popped up in cities all around the country. It was a similar story in New Jersey, where the Trump statue there was stolen over the weekend. It was displayed atop a warehouse and greeted drivers along a highway as they made their way into New York City.
Surveillance video captured the thief, who spent three and a half hours on the roof of the warehouse trying to get it down.
It is still unclear if there is any surveillance video from the scene in Wynwood.
An investigation is underway.
If you have any information on this theft or the whereabouts of Rodriguez, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a $1,000 reward.
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