WSVN — A crook is committing crime after crime in South Florida, but police say his sense of style is what gave him away! The Night Team’s Rosh Lowe shows us how they cracked the case is a new segment we call– The Lowe Down.
This man is too afraid to show his face on TV. He’s a victim, say cops, of a couple who went on a stealing spree taking packages right from people’s front doors.
Burglary Victim: "Couldn’t believe the nerve of the person. It was just total disregard for someone’s property."
It sure does take some nerve to saunter on to someone’s property and help yourself to their stuff.
Burglary Victim: "We didn’t realize until the next morning. We looked at that video and said, ‘Oh my God, we’ve been ripped off.’"
Police say dozens of people just like him were also victims.
Officer Kelly Denham: "You add that stuff up, 20 to 30 packages gone from someone’s home every week. It could be anything from toothbrushes to $400 pair of shoes."
And the crooks hit more than one South Florida city
Officer Kelly Denham: "West Miami, City of Miami, Miami-Dade Police Department."
Coral Gables Police started getting complaints back in June. But it was this video from July 30th in Southwest Miami-Dade that helped nab the thieves.
Rosh Lowe: "You were able to crack the case."
Burglary Victim: "I think it was his car. His car is very unique."
Officer Kelly Denham: "In that video from the county, we get a partial tag off that Lexus. Our assistant chief gets the DMV to send them all the tags from that type of Lexus. This Lexus was white, it had black handles and black wheels."
Cops were able to get a name, Ahmed Fernandez. They discovered he has a criminal past.
Officer Kelly Denham: "They find out he’s a registered sex offender. He’s committing these package thefts. He’s also bringing in his girlfriend to assist in these thefts."
But they needed more for the arrest.
So cops from different agencies were getting frustrated. People in South Florida were ordering packages and not getting them. But police finally got their big break through Facebook.
Officer Kelly Denham: "We pull into his Facebook page and he is wearing that same outfit on his Facebook page that he was wearing during the burglary on July 30."
Rosh Lowe: "How shocked were they when they saw that?"
Officer Kelly Denham: "It’s almost like hitting a pot of gold. Who else would be wearing that outfit?"
Fernandez could be wearing a very different outfit, an orange jumpsuit. He and his girlfriend, Daimys Comenero have both been arrested and charged with theft.
Officer Kelly Denham: "Everybody likes to share everything, and we as police officers get to utilize that as well.
Rosh Lowe: "Be careful what you share."
Officer Kelly Denham: "Be careful what you share."
Burglary Victim: "The pants, the belt, the really nice bright red shoes."
Rosh Lowe: "That was part of his undoing, police say."
Burglary Victim: "Well hopefully he’ll get what’s coming to him."
And for this victim, the next time he sees the guy with the paisley pants– he’ll be in court.
In Coral Gables, Rosh Lowe, 7News.