Two women employed as domestic workers in Miami-Dade County have been arrested and accused of stealing luxury jewelry from the families who hired them. These two separate incidents resulted in a cumulative theft of more than $304,000 over several years.
The first incident, as reported by Local 10, involves Arays Izquierdo from Hialeah. Izquierdo worked as a cleaner for a family in West Miami and even had her own key to the house.
According to the police, Izquierdo used her access to steal high-end jewelry valued at over $268,000. The stolen items included a Van Cleef & Arpels necklace, two Louis Vuitton bracelets worth nearly $150,000, a $95,650 gold bracelet, Cartier bracelets, Cuban link chains, and various other diamond and gold pieces.
Investigators traced these items to local pawn shops and subsequently searched Izquierdo's apartment, where they discovered several possessions reported missing by the victim. The police report noted that "the belongings were found in Izquierdo's bedroom and closet and were recovered as part of the investigation."
Izquierdo was apprehended on August 20. She is facing charges of burglary of an occupied dwelling and first-degree grand theft, with bail set at $20,000. A judge has ordered her to stay away from the affected family.
Another Case of Trust Betrayed
The second incident, as documented by Telemundo 51, involves 48-year-old Yuliedy Díaz, who cleaned her employer's home in Palmetto Bay for 12 consecutive years. Over time, the homeowner noticed the disappearance of items including Rolex watches, a Cartier Ballon, necklaces, gold bracelets, and earrings, with a total value exceeding $36,400.
Florida's law mandates electronic records for pawn shop transactions, which revealed that Díaz pawned 73 items between July 2018 and June 2025. At least 32 of these were confirmed to belong to the victim.
The evidence became more compelling on August 10, when a photograph of Díaz wearing the victim's earrings was shown to the employer, who recognized them as her own.
During questioning, Díaz confessed to stealing and pawning the 73 items and even wrote an apology letter to her former boss. A search of her home uncovered four watches and a necklace that had been stolen.
Díaz was arrested on August 26 and faces 10 counts of dealing in stolen property, one count of grand theft, and another for violating pawn shop laws. Her $20,000 bail has reportedly been paid.
These cases add to a growing list of similar incidents in South Florida. In June, the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office arrested a caregiver accused of stealing jewelry from several elderly women under her care and pawning them for approximately $56,500.
The electronic records of pawn shop transactions, a mandatory tool in Florida, have proven to be a crucial resource for Miami-Dade investigators in effectively tracking down stolen items.
Understanding Jewelry Theft in Miami-Dade
How were the jewelry thefts discovered?
The thefts were uncovered through electronic records from local pawn shops, which are required by Florida law to maintain detailed transaction logs. This allowed investigators to trace stolen items back to the suspects.
What charges are the accused facing?
Arays Izquierdo faces charges including burglary of an occupied dwelling and first-degree grand theft, while Yuliedy Díaz faces counts of dealing in stolen property, grand theft, and violating pawn shop laws.