A thief used the alias ‘Manny Diaz’ to steal a BMW and a Mercedes, Coral Gables cops say
Perhaps the most remarkable part about Pedro Horta’s grand theft auto, obstruction and battery charges is that Coral Gables police say he worked a new alias in pulling his February car thefts.
“Manny Diaz” is not among the 22 names the Florida Department of Corrections lists for the 72-year-old Horta’s criminal life that extends back to 1982.
But, Coral Gables police say after using “Marcos” to rip off $5,000 from a restaurant waitress, Horta stole a BMW and a Mercedes while going by the name of the current University of Miami football coach and the coach’s father, a former Miami mayor.
Friday’s arrest of Horta, who has done five turns in Florida prisons since 1985, returned him to familiar crossbar lodgings. He’s charged with three counts of grand theft auto; another count of grand theft; two counts of aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer; and obstruction by a disguised person. Miami-Dade Corrections records say he’s being held on $36,000 bond and an out-of-county warrant.
Horta’s convictions include grand theft auto, forgery and hit and run among other crimes.
How a waitress was scammed out of car
Coral Gables police say Horta used a classic friendship con on a waitress. As they describe it:
As “Marcos,” Horta lured the waitress into a friendship. He told her failing vision from bad cataracts made a personal driver necessary and he’d had problems with male drivers before. He offered her the job, knowing she’d want the job (she did) but didn’t have a car that could be used for driving someone around (she didn’t).
“Marcos” told the waitress that he knew a guy. The guy could get her a $10,000 car for $5,000. So the waitress gave “Marcos” $5,000 cash on Jan. 29.
And the waitress never saw or heard from “Marcos” again.
The alleged ‘Manny Diaz’ thefts
Horta saw a 2004 Mercedes being sold on Facebook Marketplace. On Feb. 26, police say Horta met the seller as “Manny Diaz” in the 200 block of Alhambra Circle. He test-drove the car around the area. When he pulled back into a parking space, the owner got out of the passenger side to switch seats with “Manny Diaz.”
Once the owner got out of the car, “Manny Diaz” drove away.
The next day, police say, Horta met another Facebook Marketplace seller as “Manny Diaz.” This seller had a BMW. Another test-drive ensued, this one ending at the Courtyard by Marriott, 2051 LeJeune Rd. “Manny Diaz,” asked the BMW owner to go inside and get his daughter, the Courtyard’s front office attendant. He wanted to surprise her with the Beemer he was buying for her.
The BMW owner went inside and “Manny Diaz” drove away.
Police say Horta was driving the BMW when Sunny Isles Beach police busted him on Friday.
Those who believe Horta has victimized them are asked to contact their local law enforcement agency.
