Vero Beach Executive Arrested in Miami Following High-Value Equipment Dispute
A prominent business executive from Vero Beach is facing felony charges in South Florida after a parking dispute at a Miami Beach condominium escalated into the alleged theft of heavy construction equipment. Peter Scott Parker, the 65-year-old CEO of the American Building Group and a resident of Vero Beach, was arrested last Wednesday and charged with two felonies in connection with the removal of an industrial air compressor valued at approximately $80,000.
The incident occurred early in the morning at a condominium complex located at the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and 16th Street in Miami Beach, where Parker reportedly owns a property. According to reports from 7News and Hoodline, the dispute centered on a parking space.
Police allege that Parker attached the massive air compressor—which was being used for a concrete restoration project at the building—to his truck and drove away with it just before 1:00 a.m. The equipment belonged to Ti Con Building System, the company contracted for the restoration work. In the process of removing the equipment, authorities claim Parker caused damage to the track of the gated area.
The Defense’s Stance: According to Parker’s attorney, Arthur Jones, the incident was not a malicious theft but the result of boiling frustration. Jones stated that Parker had driven in from Vero Beach only to find the construction equipment occupying his personal parking spot once again.
Parker’s legal team contends that he merely moved the equipment due to an “ongoing civil dispute with the association” regarding the use of his parking space. However, investigators discovered the compressor at a residence in Virginia Gardens, approximately 11 miles away from the condo. The equipment’s disappearance was initially reported by Anthony Son, the owner of Ti Con Building System, after a worker captured a photo of the compressor being hitched to a truck.
During bond court proceedings, prosecutors rejected the defense’s argument that the situation was a civil misunderstanding. They emphasized that Parker did not have permission to remove the property, validating the felony charges.
Parker has since bonded out of the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. He was released without having to pay a monetary bond but is scheduled to return to court on February 9 to face the charges.
