Hialeah Man Arrested for Stealing Prize-Winning Racing Pigeons

Lázaro Díaz, a 54-year-old homeless man in Hialeah, was arrested for allegedly stealing numerous prize-winning carrier pigeons from a rooftop of a home on West 15th Street, with the theft captured on surveillance footage. The pigeons, valued both economically and symbolically among racing pigeon breeders, were taken in a bag and a separate cage, suggesting possible plans for sale or clandestine use. Police identified Díaz through distinctive tattoos visible in the footage and prior interactions, capturing him a few days later while loitering nearby. He faced charges initially for burglary of an occupied dwelling and second-degree grand theft, though some reports mention the charges were later reduced to petty theft. Díaz invoked his rights and did not speak to detectives after his arrest, and his bond was set at $8,000 while he remained held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. Authorities have not disclosed the exact number of pigeons stolen or their intended destination.