Det. Sgt. Nathalie Wilson-Collier County Sheriffs Office

During the month of March 2024, five boat marinas were targeted in Collier County. Suspect(s) stole several boat motor lower end units' worth over $50,000. 

A search of LPRs identified a possible suspect vehicle. The vehicle was a 2004 GMC Envoy (green in color) bearing FL Tag: 84EJWU. The registered owner had a residential address in Miami, Florida. Det. Sgt. Wilson analyzed the LPR hits on the suspect vehicle and discovered that the suspect vehicle was observed via license plate readers in the area of the thefts during the timeframe of 1600-2000 hours and the vehicle always entered Collier County on Tamiami Trail / SR 29 westbound from Miami. Det. Sgt. Wilson entered the tag as a "hot plate" for notifications. 

On 3/27/2024, the suspect vehicle was captured via LPR westbound from Miami on Tamiami Trail E / SR 29. Det. Sgt. Wilson deployed detectives and requested the Aviation Unit to conduct surveillance on the vehicle, which visited Rose Marine at 951 Bald Eagle Dr. (Marco Island) and other locations before stopping for gas. A plain clothes detective parked next to the suspect vehicle at the gas station and was able to identify the driver as Humberto Diaz. The suspect then traveled back to Miami on I-75. 

Based on the above, it was strongly believed the suspect was conducting reconnaissance and was planning to conduct another theft at Rose Marine within the next few days. Det. Sgt. Wilson coordinated a meeting with the Collier County Sheriff's Office, Naples Police Department, and Marco Island Police Department detectives, and an operational plan was devised. 

On 3/28/2024 at 1741 hours, the suspect vehicle was again captured by LPRs traveling westbound on Tamiami Trail E towards Naples. Det. Sgt. Wilson made all notifications in accordance with the Boat Motor Theft Suspect Vehicle Activation Protocol (see attached) and responded to the area of San Marco Blvd and Tamiami Trail E to begin surveillance. The Aviation Unit was also notified and began observing/recording the vehicle. The vehicle was followed onto Goodland Dr., where it checked several boats at Calusa Marina, sat in different parking spots, and drove around looking at other locations that stored boats/motors. Between detectives and the aviation unit, constant observation was maintained on the vehicle and the suspect for over two and a half hours. 

After nightfall, the suspect vehicle drove onto Angler Dr. The suspect, confirmed as Humberto Diaz, dropped a bag in the brush line and proceeded back toward Goodland Dr., where he had parked on the side of the road. Suspect Diaz exited his vehicle and walked on foot back toward the marina on Angler Dr (which is approximately a block away), picked up the bag from the wood line, removed his original shirt ( changed into another shirt) and proceeded into the brush/mangroves to get around the end of the fence line which is in water. 

The suspect approached a Grady White boat with two 200 Yamaha attached motors sitting on a trailer. Using tools from the bag, Diaz started removing the left and right lower end units from the boat motors. 

Once removed, Diaz carried the boat motor lower end units to the wood line and ran back to his vehicle. Diaz drove his vehicle to the drop location and loaded the stolen lower end units into his vehicle. Diaz then left Goodland and headed toward Tamiami Trail E. 

Once the vehicle approached Tamiami Trail East, a felony traffic stop was conducted by multiple units and Humberto Diaz was taken into custody. 

The entire theft and arrest was video recorded by our Aviation Unit (video available upon request). 

Defendant Humberto Diaz has arrests going back to the 1980s. He has been arrested multiple times for thefts of boat motor lower ends units over the years. He was just released from Florida DOC on 11/01/2023 after serving three years in prison for stealing boat motor lower end units. 

This operation required multiple units in order to have a successful outcome. However, Det. Sgt. Wilson's dedication, planning and leadership are the main reasons this operation was so successful. For these reasons, I respectfully nominate Det. Sgt. Wilson for this prestigious award.