Man posed as Bal Harbour hotel guest to steal food, clothing, cops say

BAL HARBOUR, Fla. — A 62-year-old man is accused of posing as a guest at a Bal Harbour hotel and using a false identity to obtain more than $1,200 worth of food, beverages and clothing without paying, according to police.

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Jail records show Ronald Everett Hutt was arrested Tuesday by the Bal Harbour Police Department on a charge of third-degree grand theft.

According to his arrest report, officers responded to the St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort, located at 9703 Collins Ave., after hotel security flagged down a sergeant investigating a suspicious person on the property.

The report states that hotel staff told police Hutt had been using the aliases “Mr. Robert Tress” and “Joshua Tress” while claiming to be a guest who stayed there.

The scheme unraveled when the actual guest assigned to the room questioned charges made to his account during the hotel’s daily review of guest purchases, according to the report.

Staff members said Hutt walked by during the conversation and was mistakenly identified as the guest before security realized he was not the person staying in the room.

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Police said Hutt claimed he had paid for clothing he obtained from the hotel’s clothing store and showed security a receipt.

After he was detained and advised of his rights, Hutt admitted he had gone to the hotel Sunday night and used one of their rooms and the Tress name to obtain food and clothing, according to the report.

Hutt told investigators he was homeless and “had no intention of paying for the clothing and food because he does not have money,” the report states.

Police said the stolen property totaled $1,238.10.

As of Wednesday afternoon, Hutt was being held on a $2,500 bond at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.

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