SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - Police arrested a man after he broke into a running car at a gas station in Southwest Miami-Dade and took off.
Miami-Dade Police units responded to the Chevron station near Southwest 56th Street and 147th Avenue, early Tuesday morning.
Amanda Roman said she made what was supposed to be a quick stop at the gas station’s convenience store to grab a snack, but left her car running with the doors unlocked.
“I accidentally left my car on for five minutes ’cause I just wanted to get done and get chips,” she said.
Roman said she noticed the would-be car thief inside the store.
“When I came in, one of the guys went in to go get a beer. He ended up not having money to pay for it,” she said, “and then that same guy moved on to the gas station across. I saw him, like, touching cars, and I saw him doing a bunch of things.”
The suspect circled back to Roman’s Kia, which was parked outside the convenience store and hopped inside.
“Next thing you know, I look over and my car is screeching into the street,” said Roman.
Surveillance video recorded the crime of opportunity.
Police arrived withing minutes, but it was a feature on Roman’s phone that helped officers speed up the process to catch the thief
“Luckily, I have the Kia app, so I was able to track my car from there, and then the cops came, and in a matter of seconds, they found my car in, like, 10 minutes,” she said. “It was crazy, but I’m so grateful, but still, like, really shocked.”
The suspect’s joyride would be short-lived. MDPD officers pulled him over before a “be on the lookout” call even went out.
Investigators said an officer saw the thief driving recklessly and running a red light.
Roman said her car was not damaged., adding that she has learned her lesson.
“But it was definitely bad on my part to leave my car on. Now it’s a lesson for my future not to do that again,” she said.
The suspect, identified as 41-year-old Rogelio Ernesto Morales, appeared before Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Mindy S. Glazer on Tuesday afternoon.
Records show the suspect had his driver’s license revoked back in 2010. He faces a theft charge and two traffic citations.
As for Roman, she is now breathing a sigh of relief.
“I’m so grateful for [police], and I’m so happy I got my car back,” she said.
As of late Tuesday night, Morales remains behind bars.
Copyright 2025 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.