In a bizarre turn of events, a thief wearing a cardboard box on his head was arrested after being caught on video robbing a phone repair store. The suspect, who attempted to conceal his identity with the makeshift disguise, ended up blowing his cover in more ways than one.

Surveillance footage from the Miami Gardens iRepair Tech store captured the thief in action, stealing $15,000 worth of merchandise. The robbery, which took place around 4 a.m. on a Saturday, saw the thief making off with 19 iPhones and $8,000 in cash. Despite the significant loss, store owner Jeremius Braganza found some humor in the situation.

“At first, I was really frustrated when I received a call that somebody had broken in. But when I saw the surveillance video, I couldn’t help but laugh,” Braganza said. The video showed the thief, dubbed the “Box-Wearing Bandit,” bumbling around the store with the box on his head. At one point, he accidentally swatted the box off, revealing his face to the cameras before hastily putting it back on and leaving the store.

Braganza’s quick thinking and familiarity with the area helped police identify the suspect. “I was able to recognize the guy from another day’s surveillance footage. I went around to other businesses in the area with his picture and asked if anyone had seen him,” Braganza explained. His efforts paid off when a nearby barber shop spotted the suspect hanging around the plaza the next day.

The police were promptly alerted and arrested the suspect, this time without his box disguise. The dramatic arrest took another unexpected turn when the thief, now unmasked and in custody, broke down and cried for his mother.

As of the time of this report, authorities have not released the suspect’s name or additional details about the incident. However, Braganza’s quick actions and the thief’s unusual choice of disguise have made this a memorable case for the local community.

The Miami Gardens iRepair Tech store has since reviewed its security measures to prevent future incidents. Meanwhile, the story of the Box-Wearing Bandit serves as a reminder that even the most peculiar criminals can be caught with a little diligence and community cooperation.