SURFSIDE, FLA. (WSVN) - An elderly couple was targeted by a robber at their South Florida home, and now they are on edge.
The couple, who are both 86 years old, were inside their Surfside home when a robber broke in and ransacked the place, Friday.
The husband, who did not want to be identified, said he was watering the lawn when the intruder snuck in through an unlocked front door. His 86-year-old wife was inside at the time of the robbery.
“The intruder came in and basically ransacked the rooms,” the husband said through a translator.
The couple is astonished that something like this happened in their quiet neighborhood. “He says that he’s been over 20 years watering the lawn and doing all kinds of things, and nothing has ever remotely happened, not even close to something like this,” he said through a translator. “He is shocked, and he is also very concerned.”
Surfside Police said this case is priority number one for them. “It’s very brazen, quite scary,” said Surfside Police Sgt. Jay Matelis. “Usually burglaries are unoccupied.”
“Anything could have happened. Thank God she’s quiet,” the husband said. “He looked and kept on going, but thank God she didn’t say a word.”
The family believes the intruder went to the bedroom and began to go through their drawers.
The crook got away with thousands of dollars worth of jewelry, including two Rolex watches.
“He took a couple of Rolex watches, a few gold necklaces, credit cards and cash,” Matelis said.
The couple’s son, who also did not want to be identified, told 7News it’s scary for him to leave his parents alone in the house now.
“I would have never thought in a hundred years that this would have happened,” he said.
Police want to question a man who was caught on surveillance video inside a Target store after he tried to use the stolen credit cards.
“We definitely want to speak to that person in the picture,” Matelis said. “We need to get some more information.”
If you recognize the man in the still image, 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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