NORTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - Tens of thousands of dollars worth of jewelry and cash was stolen from the unlocked car of a jeweler while parked at a Northwest Miami-Dade gas station.
The theft was captured on surveillance video at a Chevron along Northwest 67th Avenue, Wednesday night.
“I pull in. He pulls in,” the victim said while watching the video. “That’s him getting out of the car going to my car now.”
The jeweler, who asked to remain anonymous, said he had parked his Toyota Prius to run into the mini-mart, but when he did, he left the vehicle unlocked. Soon after, the crook, who was wearing a mask and gloves, opens the victim’s door and burglarizes the vehicle.
About $14,000 in merchandise, including a diamond Cartier watch and Louis Vuitton bag, and cash were taken from the passenger’s seat.
“I noticed the bag’s not there,” the victim said. “I placed it in the bag, in the bottom. ‘Maybe it’s dark?’ I can’t find it.”
The jeweler said he was purchasing lottery tickets before he was to deliver the watch to a client. Instead, he spent the night tracking down surveillance footage and filing a police report.
He works at the famed Seybold Building in downtown Miami, where he deals with watches much more expensive than the one stolen. The watches are insured, but once they leave the store, they are not covered by insurance.
When asked how could he not have locked the door, the victim said, “I thought I pressed the button, but you gotta make sure it’s locked in, you know? It’s the holidays, and you’re rushing, just made a mistake.”
The victim added that people who work at the Seybold are often targeted for what they might be carrying, and he believes he was tailed from work that night.
When asked if police reviewed the surveillance footage, he said, “Yeah, he saw the video and said, ‘Yeah, definitely they were following me.'”
The jeweler hopes his story will warn his peers and anyone riding with valuables during the holiday season not to be a victim of a burglary.
If you have any information on this theft, 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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