In a story that sounds more like a movie plot than real life, a 20-year-old woman from Miami has been spared jail time after she pepper-sprayed wealthy men and stole their expensive watches.
Esther Torres, who’s now being described as a “predator” by locals, managed to escape a prison sentence—even after two bold, back-to-back hotel robberies left victims temporarily blinded and stripped of their luxury items.
Luxury Watches, Pepper Spray, and Two Brazen Heists
It all started back in March at the Breakwater Hotel on Miami Beach.
A man there was suddenly pepper-sprayed in the face, and while he was struggling, his Hugo Boss watch, several credit cards, and over $200 in cash and Euros were taken.
Then, not long after, at the Fontainebleau Hotel—just a 16-minute drive away—another man suffered a similar fate.
After being sprayed in the eyes, he had a $22,000 Rolex snatched right off his wrist.
He later told police the pepper spray temporarily blinded him.
Both attacks bore a clear pattern, and soon Torres was the prime suspect.
Hotel Owner Plays a Key Role in the Investigation
As the search for Torres picked up, Mitch Novick, the owner of the nearby Sherbrooke Hotel, became an unexpected part of the investigation.
He described Torres as a “predator preying on male victims,” and he didn’t hesitate to help when the police reached out.
Officers believed she’d disappeared near his hotel and asked him to review his security cameras.
Sure enough, Novick found footage of the woman walking away casually after one of the attacks.
“Is this your subject?” he asked the officers in a message, describing how she appeared to make her way toward Washington Avenue—before losing track of her on another street.
Surveillance Footage Helped Tie Her to the Crimes
Torres’ luck began to run out in April when police connected her to a vehicle pulled over during a traffic stop.
The man driving was arrested, and Torres showed up at the scene, captured on video.
Shortly after that, her photo ended up on a “need to identify” police flyer.
When officers finally confirmed who she was, she was arrested in May.
Bodycam footage showed the moment Torres was taken into custody.
Calm and composed, she told police she had no weapons on her.
She was wearing a white strapless top and a hair bonnet and was accompanied by a child at the time of her arrest.
No Jail Time—Just Five Years Probation
Despite facing serious charges—including armed robbery, burglary, and grand theft—Torres struck a plea deal.
On Wednesday, she was sentenced to five years of probation instead of prison time.
She’d originally been arrested on two counts of first-degree robbery.
But now, she’s free on a recognizance bond and no longer appears in the jail system.
A Community Left Stunned
Local residents and business owners are still reeling over how Torres avoided a harsher sentence.
With victims left temporarily blind and shaken, and hotel security footage painting a clear picture of her nonchalant escapes, many are questioning how someone described as a “serial thief” could get away with just probation.
But for now, Esther Torres is walking free—leaving behind a trail of victims and a Miami community wondering what comes next.