MIAMI (WSVN) - A crook was caught on surveillance video burglarizing and ransacking a church in Miami’s Little Haiti neighborhood.
Wilfrid Pierre, an administrator at the Haitian Emmanuel Baptist Church, arrived to the parish located in the area of Northeast Second Avenue and 73rd Street on Tuesday morning to find it had been targeted overnight.
“We’re thinking we’re well over probably $5,000,” Pierre said. “This is the second time within a week.”
The place of worship was found in disarray with a TV, sound system and other electronic equipment missing.
“There was a monitor up here,” Pierre said while guiding 7News cameras. “As you can see, he took that. They took the equipment out of that. There was a 55-inch TV here. We purchased another television.”
7News cameras captured shattered glass from a ransacked vending machine scattered around the floor and some doors inside of the parish that looked like they were kicked in.
The crook could also be seen on video taking the snacks from inside the targeted vending machine.
Pierre said the church was targeted the week prior as well.
“We’re frustrated, and not just frustrated, we feel violated,” said Pierre. “For someone to come onto your property and to vandalize your stuff– not only that, we’re a little puzzled because, we’re like, for someone to not respect the house of worship, to enter the house of worship and to feel that you can come again and do the same thing within the span of a week.”
Surveillance cameras captured the previous burglary as a man could be seen making his way into the children’s area of the parish.
It remains unclear if the man seen on surveillance footage is the same crook from Tuesday morning’s burglary.
“Our ultimate hope is that this individual will be caught because we’re not just concerned about our property but the neighborhood property,” Pierre said.
If you have any information on this burglary, 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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