MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - Police said they are searching for multiple subjects who fled the scene of an attempted vehicle theft in a luxury neighborhood in Miami Beach.
Miami Beach Police units responded to the area of Pine Tree Drive and La Gorce Drive, near 60th Street, on Wednesday night.
Investigators said they were conducting an operation in the area when they watched an attempted vehicle theft occur.
Officers tried to apprehend the subjects, but at least one fled on foot, and other people took off in a getaway car.
This has led to officers setting up two perimeters to search for the subjects, including one in Pine Tree and one in the City of Miami, where the getaway driver bailed out of the car and fled on foot.
One woman captured video of officials searching for the subject by helicopter from her Miami Beach home.
“This helicopter has been floating around for about 30 minutes,” she said. “What I noticed last night was a helicopter circling for about 30 or 40 minutes, just with the biggest strobe light shining everywhere all around. My husband noticed a lot of police activity.”
7News cameras captured a smashed-up BMW that was abandoned in front of a home in the area of South Miami Avenue and 22nd Street. The car’s lights were on, and its doors and trunk were left open, and both tires on the passenger side were completely ripped off.
“These people came out of the 95 South, going to Brickell,” said a woman who saw the exchange. “I felt like I needed to make a 911 call and say the location of the car. Within two minutes, police show up. But sadly, the guys kept running. The car was already in smoke. There were two police cars behind it. Then, somehow, they lose the guy. We have police everywhere looking for these gentlemen. The car they were driving is destroyed. Left on Brickell, South Miami Avenue.”
That second perimeter in the City of Miami was later taken down.
Pine Tree Drive and La Gorce Drive were shut down between 60th and 63rd streets for hours. Roadways have since reopened.
Police took to social media to advise residents to stay inside their homes while they investigated.
According to MBPD, this is an ongoing investigation, and the search for the suspects is still on. They said the BMW is in their custody.
If you have any information on this attempted vehicle theft or the subjects’ whereabouts, call Miami Beach Police at 305-673-7900 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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