NORTHEAST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - Some bandits smashed into a contractor’s vehicle and made off with his gun and credit cards.
Howard Lemus is a small business owner from Bonita Springs who traveled to Miami to work on the construction of a house in Northeast Miami-Dade, Monday. According to the victim, he parked his Mercedes outside the house that is under construction, and when he returned, the group of thieves had already gotten away with his belongings and then went on a shopping spree.
“We arrived for a quick few measurements. We were checking on some cabinetry with our owner, making some selections,” Lemus said.
The general contractor told 7News that his briefcase with the weapon inside was missing. “We find that my briefcase was stolen, and inside the briefcase was a .380, a weapon, a handheld gun,” Lemus said. “I have a concealed carry permit.”
Lemus said he was surprised that this happened on the job site, off Northeast 175th Street but said surveillance may help. “This is a community that everybody walks,” he said, “and everybody has cameras, and so we have them on camera.”
The house surveillance video was recording at 1:30 p.m. and showed a car pulling up to the scene before the bandits used some kind of tool to break the victim’s car window.
“There’s two things that really trouble me: one is the .380 that was stolen, obviously now there’s another gun on the streets, so that was really disheartening, and the other thing — that is second to that — is the backup data that was inside of that briefcase has over 15 years of my work.”
Lemus said the thieves used his credit and debit cards in Aventura. Police want to identify three men who were caught on surveillance.
“They were able to purchase on the company debit card approximately $1,800 worth of who knows what,” Lemus said. “Somebody that brazen that could do that, it’s a threat to the community.”
Miami-Dade and Aventura Police are working this case. If you have any information on this car burglary, 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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