A burglary suspect who went viral in 2015 after video showed him bursting into tears when a judge said she recognized him as one of her former high school classmates is back in custody.
Arthur Nathaniel Booth, 58, was arrested Wednesday in connection with a series of crimes that occurred in August, Miami police said.
In one incident, police say he knocked on the victim’s door pretending to be a water inspector.
“Once inside, he walked around the house, found a jewelry box, stole jewelry from the victim and fled in an unknown direction,” said police spokesman Freddie Cruz.
Booth is said to have committed a similar crime with another victim, but he posed as a plumber instead.
“Once he got inside, he grabbed the victim’s necklace and fled,” Cruz said.
The victim, an 85-year-old man, told NBC South Florida that Booth knocked on the door of his West Flagler Street home and asked the man to turn on the faucet in his bathtub. When the man bent down to turn on the water, he said Booth grabbed his gold chain and ran away.
The man said the necklace was important to him and that he had brought it with him from Cuba.
In the third alleged incident, police said Booth asked a woman for directions “and also carried out a chain robbery.”
Cruz said they believe Booth may be involved in other incidents.
“Someone like that belongs behind bars,” he said.
Nearly 10 years ago, Booth stood before Miami-Dade District Judge Mindy Glazer after an alleged burglary and police chase.
Glazer recognized Booth as one of her former classmates from Nautilus Middle School and offered him words of encouragement.
“I’m sorry to see you there. I’ve always wondered what happened to you, sir,” Glazer said, according to NBC South Florida.
Booth seemed overcome with emotion and began to cry.
“This was the nicest kid in high school, he was the best kid in high school,” Glazer continued. “I used to play football with him, all the kids, and look what happened.”
The judge said she was sorry to see Booth in the courtroom.
“Mr. Booth, I hope you can turn your life around, good luck,” she said. “What’s sad is how old we’ve gotten. Good luck sir, I hope you can come out of this okay and just live a lawful life.”
Booth has been charged with a series of offenses related to his recent crimes, including robbery, burglary, home invasion and robbery without a firearm or weapon, according to online jail records. Information about his attorney was not available.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
