SURFSIDE, FLA. (WSVN) - Surfside Police are urging residents to lock their car doors after 19 car burglaries in recent weeks, including a stolen car.
Surfside Police have arrested two juveniles in connection to the car burglaries, but police believe a subject caught on surveillance video had worked with those juveniles as part of a ring.
The surveillance footage taken Sunday morning showed a suspect getting into a car and searching for valuables. Police believe he may be a teenager.
Police added that one of the vehicles was not only ransacked but stolen.
“Just because of his mannerisms it appears that he’s somewhere in the range of 16 to 18 years old,” said Surfside Police Sgt. Marian Cruz. “My message to him is that we may not have him arrested at this moment, but we will catch up to him, and we will identify him, and we want to make sure that he knows — and any other subject that comes in to Surfside knows — that we’re on top of it.”
Cruz added that she urges car owners to keep their vehicles locked, especially at night.
A community flyer has gone out to residents in the area. One resident, Teresa Rego, said she’s been living in Surfside for more than 30 years and was one of four victims on Saturday night.
“I have a box there,” said Rego. “It was open and everything inside was around and on top of the other seat.”
Rego said she hopes police catch the teen quickly. “It was a teenager? They always doing bad things.”
If you have any information on these car burglaries, 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.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.