BAY HARBOR ISLANDS, FLA. (WSVN) - Thieves were caught on camera targeting a man’s car and taking off with some expensive jewelry, leading police to arrest a man and continue their search for two others involved.
A father and his two daughters pulled off at a gas station with a flat tire, but they had no idea it was all part of a flat-out scheme.
“They punctured his tire, and by the time he got here, of course, the tire was flat,” said Armando Prieto, who works at the gas station’s service department.
Back on Sept. 16, Bay Harbor Police said, the man driving a white SUV had just bought a $17,000 diamond ring, which he was going to surprise his wife with.
The criminals, according to police, flattened his tire while he was inside the jewelry store to create a distraction.
As he drove home, the unsuspecting victim noticed the low pressure and stopped at the Chevron on the Broad Causeway connecting North Miami and Bay Harbor Islands.
“Apparently, he got out of the car to find somebody to fix his tire,” said Prieto.
He found one of Prieto’s employees at the automotive service department in the Chevron.
As they worked to figure out the issue, the crooks made their move.
Surveillance video showed the thieves pulling over across the street in a black sedan. Moments later, they made their way to the gas station.
Once the victim’s two daughters were out of the car, one of the suspects distracted the father, while another opened a car door, and snagged a black bag containing the ring, according to detectives.
The thief then jogged back to the black sedan, and the perpetrators quickly took off.
“I’ve been here 27 years, and this is the first time ever that we’ve had a robbery at the station that I’m aware of,” said Prieto.
Police identified the man who snagged the bag as 51-year-old Enrique Sanchez.
Detectives found and arrested him just a few days later and said he admitted to committing the crime and that the ring had already been sold.
Now police continue their search for the man seen wearing a mask in the video and another person they said was involved.
“I hope for the community, and especially here on Bay Harbor and Bal Harbour, which we don’t have many problems, that they catch them right away, too, because we need to get them off the streets,” said Prieto.
Sanchez was charged with burglary and grand theft.
If you have any information on this theft or the whereabouts of the two subjects who remain at large, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.