NORTH BAY VILLAGE, FLA. (WSVN) - Some suspected crooks went to great lengths to avoid being arrested. Although a drawbridge stopped the suspects in their tracks, their desperation to escape went viral on social media.
The group of accused criminals created quite a scene fleeing from police, Tuesday morning, when their getaway plan hit a snag in North Bay Village.
The 79th Street Causeway Drawbridge stopped the alleged thieves in their tracks, forcing them to somehow pop a U-turn, hop the curb and drive past plenty of shocked onlookers.
“They’re running from the cops,” said one witness on the video.
The wrong-way chase happened Wednesday and ended with three men in handcuffs.
According to authorities, the men are linked to multiple vehicle burglaries and catalytic converter thefts throughout South Florida.
A catalytic converter is part of your car’s exhaust system. They have been targeted by thieves lately because of the rare metals they contain.
Demetrius Saunders, Kerven Rodriguez and Carlos Segarra are now in Miami-Dade County jail after officers recovered more than 30 catalytic converters and two guns in the trunk of their red BMW.
“I’m not surprised,” said a witness. “Anybody can come at night. There’s no gate, nothing.”
According to officers, the chase ended at 71st Street and Bay Drive, where they left their car and took off on foot, hopping over a condo’s fence and hiding in the building’s trash room.
A resident called police after spotting the trio hiding.
North Bay Village Police, along with Miami Beach Police, were not far behind, after a resident called them when she found the three men as she took out the trash.
Bystanders recorded the arrest.
“We don’t get this everyday here,” said a witness, “so we wanted to see what happened here.”
Earlier in Miami on Tuesday, a group of thieves targeted a parking lot in the area of Northwest 46th Avenue and Third Street. They ran off with a catalytic converter from Julio Riano’s work truck.
This was the second time that had happened to Riano in a month.
“Because another person is in danger. These people are dangerous people,” Riano said.
Authorities have yet to confirm if the two crimes are connected to each other.
North Bay Village officers said the trio is also connected to burglaries in Palm Beach County and Lee County.
It remains unknown if any catalytic converters were stolen at the North Bay Village condo.
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