MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - Police have released a composite sketch of a man who, they said, broke into a Miami Beach apartment and groped a woman while she slept.
Miami Beach Police went door to door with a flyer in the North Beach neighborhood where this occurred, near 83rd Street and Crespi Boulevard, late Tuesday afternoon.
Luis, a neighbor in the area, is now nervous because of the incident.
“You think you come over to a nice place like Miami Beach to live for a while, and then you’re faced with predators out here,” said Luis. “Maybe we shouldn’t leave the door unlocked. We got to close the windows now, do a better job of securing your home.”
He said his wife, Cynthia, first spotted the crook days prior.
“Someone moving around and stuff like that,” he said. “When she saw the sketch, she pretty much ID-ed the guy.”
Cynthia said she saw the man near her doorstep after seeing the flyer.
“Oh yeah, I’ve seen this guy the other day. Yeah, right here, right here. He was standing there,” she said, speaking in Spanish. “Yeah, right here on that side.”
“He was with a hoodie. He was wearing a black hoodie. I remember the eyes because I never forget one face,” she added.
According to Miami Beach Police, the subject is described as a white male, possibly Hispanic, with a medium complexion. They believe him to be between 20 to 25 years old, standing 5 feet 7 inches to 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighing 160 pounds with a thin muscular build. They also describe him as having bulging eyes with dark circles underneath.
“He is extremely dangerous. We don’t know what he’s capable of, and we need to stop him,” said Miami Beach Police spokesperson Ernesto Rodriguez.
He entered the unit at around 6 a.m., Sunday, wearing a dark-colored, unzipped hoodie with no shirt and jeans.
Officials said the victim was asleep on a sofa when she awoke to find the burglar touching her pelvic area just above her privates. Investigators said the man had his genitals exposed and yelled at the victim to look.
Police said the victim screamed for the invader to leave, but he refused. She then ran outside and screamed for help.
“As she initially attempted to run away, he grabbed her by the arm,” said Rodriguez. “She broke free, and thankfully she wasn’t severely hurt.”
Meanwhile, police said, the crook fled in an unknown direction with the woman’s iPhone and $52 in cash.
If you recognize the man in the sketch, 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.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.