NORTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - A South Florida family is asking for the public’s help, as police search for several people who were caught on surveillance video breaking into and ransacking their home while it was being fumigated.
Evelyn Rivas was shocked to discover she had some unwanted guests on Friday while she and her family were away from her home, located near Northwest 144th Street and Fifth Avenue in Northwest Miami-Dade.
“The gentleman, when he was removing the tent, he asked us if we entered the property, and we said no,” she said. “The reason why he asked us that is because there was a front window wide open.”
The family’s Ring camera showed what happened while the home was tented.
The footage shows a couple of people checking out the home inside the fumigation tent.
When the homeowners were finally allowed to enter their home on Saturday, they found it in disarray. Rooms were ransacked, and clothes were scattered all over.
What was missing, Rivas said, was money and jewelry, and that wasn’t all.
“In my son’s room, all the electronic consoles were stolen: laptops, printers, games, software,” she said. “It’s so much, and we’re still going through the list.”
Family member Gustavo Rodriguez said the break-in has taken away his sense of security.
“It felt like I got violated, because this has never happened, and it’s like an invasion of privacy,” he said.
Among the most important items that were taken, Rivas said, were Miami-Dade County uniforms that Rodriguez’s father needs for work.
“We don’t want those thieves to use his uniforms, and then they might commit other crimes,” said Rodriguez. “They might break [into] and enter other people’s homes.”
Now, this family hopes somebody recognizes the people in the video.
“You work so hard. We’re hardworking people, for this to happen, and we’ve lived in this neighborhood for 17 years, and this has never, ever happened,” said Rivas.
If you have any information on this burglary, 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.
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