SOUTH MIAMI, FLA. (WSVN) - Police caught a suspected criminal allegedly behind six car break-ins in South Miami.
Home surveillance video in the area of Southwest 58th Avenue and 78th Street showed the suspected burglar as he opened the victim’s car door and took his time scrounging through the compartments in the early morning hours on May 3.
“He was able to enter the car and take multiple pieces of property out of it,” said South Miami Police Captain Larry Corbin. “As you see in the video, as he got out of the car, he had so much property that he dropped a lot of it on the ground.”
According to police, the burglar is identified as Scott Tooman.
Corbin said the subject tried to take everything he could. “He’s got everything from change to paper work, battery charger, perfume,” he said.
As the burglar was getting out of one of the victim’s cars with the loot, a South Miami police officer happened to be driving by. Officials managed to arrest Tooman and stop his streak.
“Not only our city, but cities across the county get hit with these types of burglaries,” Corbin said. “Our officers have been actively patrolling neighborhoods at nighttime to prevent them or catch the people doing it.”
Police believe Tooman is responsible for multiple cases. “These people generally hit six, seven, eight cars at night, sometimes more,” Corbin said. “When you’re able to at least catch somebody and get some of this property back to the victims.”
Tooman now faces a list of charges.
Officials want to remind motorists to lock their cars after they park.
If you live in South Miami and think you may have been victimized by Tooman, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a $1,000 reward.
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