PEMBROKE PARK, FLA. (WSVN) - The Pembroke Park Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the suspects responsible for the vandalism of a police decoy vehicle.
Police said a group of 90 to 150 people on motorcycles, bikes, and ATVs took over the road near Southwest 40th Avenue on Pembroke Road at approximately 3:15 p.m., Sunday.
“Yesterday, our officers were dispatched to the RaceTrac in our city regarding a vandalism to one of our decoy vehicles that we park there as a crime prevention method,” said Pembroke Pines Deputy Chief of Police Jason Ochoa.
Among the group, three unidentified males were seen climbing onto the hod of the decoy vehicle parked at a RaceTrac gas station, with one of them even shattering the cruiser’s windshield.
While an officer wasn’t inside the car at the time, the decoy car was simply there to deter people from committing a crime, which is quite the opposite from what was intended.
“It looks like one of the individuals either struck the windshield or the weight of the individual caused it to break the windshield,” said Ochoa.
Police said an investigation is underway and they already made some headway as they collected finger prints from the vehicle.
He added that on top of the vandalism caused by the group, it is also illegal to be driving those type of vehicles.
“Between 90 and 150 people were at this location with ATV’s, dirt bikes which are not authorized to used on the street,” said Ochoa.
In addition to the vandalism, police said the suspects will be charged for participating in street takeovers.
“We’re looking for you. It’s an active investigation. We were able to pull some prints off of them[the car] and we are going to charge these three individuals with a felony, which it is a felony, it’s criminal mischief and any other traffic related incidents that occurred within our jurisdiction regarding the street takeovers,” said Deputy Chief Jason Ochoa.
Photos posted to social media captures someone on the hood of the car at the gas station along with a video of the crowd of dirt bikes and ATVs on the road.
The estimated damage to the vehicle is approximately $1,000.
If you have any information on this crime, call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.
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