Powerlifter Takes Down Bag Thief, Leaves with More than Souvenirs

Miurell Vargas, a 26-year-old powerlifter, had a rather eventful day on March 29 when her vehicle was broken into and her bag and wallet stolen. The spirited athlete was undeterred, immediately embarking on a search for her stolen possessions, driving around in her car with an eagle eye for her distinctive Nike bag.

Interestingly, Vargas wasn’t particularly concerned about any cash that might have been in her wallet. The treasure she sought was far more significant and irreplaceable. Vargas elucidated, “My mom’s picture was in my wallet. And my mom passed away eight years ago.”

Unfortunately, the chase took an unexpected turn. Vargas found herself involved in a car accident near NW 2nd Avenue and 22nd Lane in the Miami neighborhood of Wynwood. As fate would have it, the surveillance camera captured the entire event.

In a twist of fate, it appears that Vargas caught sight of the thief around the time of the collision. With a quick exit from her damaged vehicle, she confronted him on a nearby sidewalk. Vargas recounts, “I tried to force and grab my wallet, and he didn’t want to let go of it… So, that’s when I started punching him — because it was either me or him.”

According to Vargas, the suspect was quite vocal during their encounter. “He was yelling that it wasn’t my bag and that I was crazy,” she stated. However, the suspect, later identified as Luis Machado, was soon apprehended by the police and left with a souvenir from his encounter with Vargas – a black eye.

Although Machado admitted to possession of Vargas’ property, he denied breaking into her vehicle. As Kiara Delva of Miami police noted, “He admitted to having some of the victim’s property, but then he claims he didn’t know how the property became in his possession, which obviously were conflicting statements that didn’t make sense.”

Machado now faces charges of burglary, criminal mischief, and petty theft. He is accused of breaking Vargas’ car window and stealing her belongings while she was at work.

Regrettably, the vehicle of the innocent bystander involved in the crash was also totaled. Thankfully, no serious injuries were reported. Vargas, who was ticketed for the accident, expressed remorse to the other driver. “I just want to say sorry to the person that I crashed into… She gave me a hug. She was very nice. I just want to say sorry to her.”

Vargas admitted to the police that she was so engrossed in pursuing the suspected thief that she ended up colliding with another car. But she didn’t sound regretful. “So, that was sentimental value for me that I needed to recover,” she said. “That’s why I did it.”

She further admitted, “I had so much adrenaline in me that I didn’t think about the consequences.” Vargas’ story serves as a powerful testament to the lengths a person will go to protect what matters to them the most.

Watch a local news report about the incident below:

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