FL man says he tossed $4K in stolen Publix meat after girlfriend found with another man

PALM COAST, Fla. (CBS12) — A Jacksonville man accused of stealing thousands of dollars in meat from two Publix stores in Palm Coast told detectives he threw most of it away after going to his girlfriend’s home and finding her cooking with another man, according to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies arrested 30-year-old Heannys O. Alvarez Reyna earlier this month after surveillance footage and investigative leads connected him to thefts at the Belle Terre Crossings Publix and the Island Walk Publix on January 5.

Detectives say Alvarez Reyna first entered the Belle Terre store around 7:43 p.m., where he removed $1,574.86 worth of beef and lamb from the shelves before walking out without paying. Less than 20 minutes later, he arrived at the Island Walk location and stole an additional $2,084 in pork, sirloin, brisket, tenderloin, and personal care items.

Investigators identified Alvarez Reyna as the driver of the suspect vehicle seen at both stores. When questioned, he reportedly told detectives that after completing the thefts, he drove to his girlfriend’s residence. There, he said he discovered she was cooking with another man, prompting him to throw away most of the stolen meat.

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Sheriff Rick Staly said the thefts were more than routine shoplifting, describing the incident as a “calculated operation” that left both stores with significant losses. Staly added that while the suspect “had a choice selection,” his methods “weren’t kosher,” and noted that the county jail — the “Green Roof Inn” — doesn’t serve premium cuts of meat.

January 5, 2026 – A Jacksonville man, Heannys O. Alvarez Reyna, was arrested after deputies say he stole thousands of dollars’ worth of meat from two Publix stores in Palm Coast and later told detectives he discarded most of it after arriving at his girlfriend’s home and finding her cooking with another man, which he claimed motivated his actions. (WPEC)

Alvarez Reyna, a Cuban national, was charged with felony retail theft and booked into the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility on a $5,000 bond, according to the sheriff’s office. He is also being held on a detainer from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.