MIRAMAR, FLA. (WSVN) - The victim of a grand theft is disheartened to see an innocent man be subjected to a mistaken arrest but remains optimistic authorities will track down the actual person who made off with more than $270,000 in luxury items.
Miramar-based social media influencer Stormy Wellington told police in September her stylist was responsible for the August theft of five luxury purses and a Chanel water bottle.
She told 7News her luxury handbags are still unaccounted for and that individual remains on the loose.
“No, I don’t have them back, and he has not yet been arrested, but apparently, they’re doing what they need to do to find him now,” said Wellington.
According to Wellington, authorities spoke with her stylist but he had intentionally misled investigators with his identity.
“He gave them a fake name so I was questioning, ‘Wait a minute, what is his name now?'” said Wellington.
That apparent switch-up led Miramar Police to arresting 31-year-old Shaquille Grant on Wednesday.
When Grant stood before a judge Thursday, he appeared genuinely confused on how he wound up there.
“He doesn’t know anything in reference to this case; he’s a student at Broward College studying health services management,” Grant’s attorney told the judge.
After a review of the case, authorities admitted they got the wrong guy.
“Obviously there was a mistake made. We are trying to figure out how the mistake was made,” Miramar Police Chief Delrish Moss said.
Moss added that Grant’s name ended up on what’s known as a “Not in Custody” form, which is similar to an arrest warrant.
“The issue is the ‘Not in Custody’ that is issued, which is issued from the State Attorney’s Office, has the name of the person who is in custody. The name should have been another person’s last name,” said Moss.
Miramar Police coordinated with the Broward Sheriff’s Office and Broward State Attorney’s Office to expedite dropping the case against Grant and release him from custody following the erroneous arrest.
7News cameras captured Grant after he was released from the Broward County Jail on Thursday night. He did not comment on the ordeal but later confirmed he was the wrong person in this case.
Learning about his wrongful arrest was disheartening for Wellington, who still hopes authorities can find the correct person.
“The wrong person was arrested unfortunately. My heart goes out to him, I saw him yesterday, walking, his head was down, my heart hurts for him,” she said.
Officials also extended their apology for causing the undue hardship in Grant’s life.
“We can only apologize and work to make sure that we make the system better so that these things don’t happen,” said Moss.
Authorities said the original grand theft investigation remains active and continue searching for the correct subject who stole the handbags.
Copyright 2026 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.