NORTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - Police are seeking the public’s help in locating at least two brazen crooks who took two luxury cars in a Northwest Miami-Dade neighborhood for a joyride, leaving one of them with thousands of dollars in damage.
Surveillance cameras captured two of the thieves along Northwest Eighth Terrace as they checked for unlocked doors under the cover of darkness on Christmas Eve morning.
At around 5:30 a.m., the security footage captures the perpetrators opening the door of a luxury car parked in a driveway and finding keys inside.
Area resident Giovanni Carlucci said the sneaky duo took off with his white Jaguar and his wife’s black Mercedes-Benz.
”The kids took the spare keys, and they check. Bingo,” he said.
Carlucci said his daughter left the spare key to both of her parents’ car in her vehicle and left the doors unlocked. When the subjects found the keys, they took the cars one at a time.
“They took the Jag and they left, and then, two minutes later, they come back for the Mercedes [that belongs to] my wife,” he said.
Hours later, when he woke up and realized the cars had been stolen, Carlucci remembered his Jaguar came with a GPS tracking system.
“I went on the application, and I told the police, ‘OK, we know where the car is,'” he said. “It was just a few blocks away from here.”
The Jaguar was found later that day with no damage.
But two days later, the Mercedes was found severely damaged.
“They said something between $10,000 and $7,000 worth of damage,” said Carlucci.
His insurance company later declared the sedan a total loss and will send him money for his troubles, but he said, considering what he’s been through, money won’t help.
“They are going to give us a check, but the check doesn’t cover the down payment that I gave on the car,” he said. “The check is for whatever we still owe and the value of the car, so it’s a loss anyway.”
Even though the security footage only captures crisp video of two thieves, the homeowner believes more may have been involved in the heist.
If you have any information on these car thieves’ whereabouts, 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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