Matthew Anzaldi and David Baker
By: Sharon Aron Baron
Less than 24 hours after surveillance video of a pair of air conditioner burglars was released to the media, Crime Stoppers tips helped put names with the faces. Each man will now be facing one count of grand theft.
At least two callers identified the suspects as being part of a labor force office located a short distance from the pharmacy they targeted. When Matthew Anzaldi, 22, showed up seeking work Friday morning, Broward Sheriff’s Office detectives took him into custody in the parking lot without incident. Anzaldi was driving the pickup utilized in the caper.
The second suspect was identified as David Baker, 45. He was located at Florida Medical Center where he was being treated for an injury unrelated to the air conditioner burglary.
The pair was sought for stealing an air conditioning unit on September 25 from Benzer Pharmacy in Tamarac. The suspects cut the unit from the wall and, after about 15 minutes of failed attempts, they finally managed to load it onto the back of their pickup.
Detectives say the pair, who are from Merritt Island, have been in the South Florida area for about a month. They sold the $3,000 air conditioning unit at a scrap metal yard for $100 and used the money for food and drugs.
According to Anzaldi, they are both addicted to to the drug flakka.
