A violent robbery rocked a small grocery store in Hialeah, culminating in the arrest of a man now facing several serious charges.
The heist, which involved a sledgehammer, an assault on an employee, and the plundering of gaming machines, resembled a scene from a crime thriller but had very real consequences.
The assailant, identified as 46-year-old Suniel Arzola, was apprehended by law enforcement following an investigation bolstered by surveillance footage and eyewitness accounts, as reported by local media.
Authorities revealed that the suspect was driven by intense anger after losing money in the store's slot machines.
As of now, the nationality of the detained individual has not been publicly disclosed.
Masked Mayhem at a Local Store
According to the Hialeah Police Department, the incident took place at RC La Atenas Market & Smoke Shop, situated at the corner of East 10th Avenue and 32nd Street, within a warehouse district of the city.
Shortly after 11:45 p.m. on November 30, Arzola entered the premises with his face concealed and armed with a sledgehammer.
In a quick and violent act, he leapt over the counter, seized the employee’s cellphone, and ordered her to retreat to the bathroom.
The terrified victim began to scream, which provoked an even more aggressive response from the attacker. “He pushed her to the back of the store and forced her into the bathroom,” details the police report, as cited by Local 10.
There, she was locked in while Arzola, acting alone, smashed the gaming machines installed on site.
Rampage and Theft Before Escape
With no one to stop him, the man destroyed at least four slot machines, extracting the money they contained and stuffing it into his pockets and boots, all the while remaining vigilant of his surroundings.
He then ransacked the cash register and counter area, also taking the employee’s purse before making his escape.
The victim recounted to officers that the assailant had previously visited the store.
“He was upset because he lost money,” she informed the authorities, referring to Arzola.
This lead proved crucial for investigators, who managed to identify him thanks to a distinctive mark on his right hand, visible in the security footage both during gameplay and the robbery.
The surveillance video revealed another critical detail: Arzola fled the scene on a bicycle, but dropped an item in the parking lot.
Minutes later, a Dodge Ram truck arrived at the scene. A woman exited the vehicle, picked up what appeared to be a hammer, and drove off. She was later identified as the suspect’s partner.
This clue led police to a nearby warehouse registered to Arzola. There, they found both the alleged robber and his girlfriend, who were taken in for questioning.
During the interview, the woman claimed her partner was absent from the warehouse “for a few hours the night of the robbery and returned just before midnight.”
She also admitted to visiting the store to play the slot machines and picking up the hammer from the ground, though she claimed to have “discarded it afterward without any reason.”
Partial Confession and Additional Charges
As the woman provided her account, Arzola denied involvement in the robbery but admitted to one detail that supported the investigation: that same day, he had lost $3,800 in the store’s gaming machines.
With this information and video evidence, police charged him with armed robbery, false imprisonment with a deadly weapon, and criminal mischief. However, the saga did not end there.
Foiled Hospital Escape Attempt
Following his arrest, Arzola was taken to Hialeah Hospital for a medical evaluation.
Though handcuffed to a bed, he seized an opportunity upon being discharged around 1:15 a.m., slipping free of the cuffs and making a break for the exit.
An officer ordered him to stop, but Arzola ignored the command. It was at this point he was subdued with a Taser.
The failed escape attempt resulted in two additional charges: attempted escape and resisting arrest.
He was later transferred to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center (TGK). As of Friday afternoon, his bail had not been set.
Key Details on Hialeah Store Robbery
What motivated the robbery in the Hialeah store?
The suspect, Suniel Arzola, was reportedly driven by anger after losing $3,800 in the store's slot machines, which led to the violent robbery.
How was the suspect identified and apprehended?
Arzola was identified through surveillance footage that showed a distinctive mark on his hand. He was apprehended after police tracked him to a nearby warehouse registered in his name.
What additional charges did the suspect face following his arrest?
After his initial charges, Arzola faced additional counts of attempted escape and resisting arrest following a failed escape attempt from Hialeah Hospital.