NORTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - Residents of a gated community in Northwest Miami-Dade are reeling after burglars smashed their way into more than a dozen vehicles at an apartment complex overnight and took off with expensive valuables, triggering a search for the perpetrators.
Cameras captured shattered windows and ransacked car interiors at The Corinthian Apartments, located near the corner of Northwest 22nd Avenue and 77th Terrace, early Thursday morning.
William Sosa, who owns one of the vehicles that were targeted, said he was sound asleep when deputies knocked on his door.
“So around 4 a.m., we got a knock on the door that some of the cars were broken into here in the community,” he said.
Resident Betsy Acosta said deputies also came to her apartment.
“It’s 5 a.m., I was sleeping with my kid, and the police officers just came and said, ‘Hey, your car is broken, and I was like, I was sleeping,” she said.
Residents went to the parking lot to find their vehicle windows broken, as well as glass and belongings scattered everywhere.
“The police told us about 17, 20 [vehicles were burglarized],” said Sosa.
Acosta should have been in bed. Instead, she was seen picking up her belongings, like her child’s backpack, off the wet ground.
Meanwhile, Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office detectives got right to work, as they checked the vehicles and combed for clues.
More than a mess left behind to clean up, several of these vehicles owners’ told 7News it’s their sense of security that has been shattered to pieces.
“We’ve lived here around six, seven years now. We haven’t had this situation before, so it’s pretty scary to see this,” said Sosa. “It’s about 20 different cars in total. We had some of our baby’s stuff stolen from the car, which is unfortunate. And as we know, baby items are expensive.”
7News has reached out to MDSO for more information about their ongoing investigation into these burglaries.
“Maybe somebody walked in or [someone] let them in. We’re very tight in here,” said Sosa. “It’s very unfortunate. The good thing is that we have cameras inside all over the place, so hopefully they’re able to find out who did this and bring justice to what happened here.”
If you have any information on these car break-ins or the whereabouts of the subject or subjects responsible, 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.
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