HomeMy Public PortalAboutLTC 067-2017 Bal Harbour Police Department - Auto Thefts InvestigationBAL HARBOUR
- VILLAGE -
OFFICE OF THE VILLAGE MANAGER
LETTER TO COUNCIL
NO. 067-2017
To: Mayor Gabriel Groisman and Members of the Village Council
From: Jorge M. Gonzalez, Village Manager
Date: April 7, 2017
Subject: Bal Harbour Police Department - Auto Thefts Investigation
The purpose of this Letter to Council (LTC) is to transmit to you the results of Auto Thefts
investigation in the security district of Bal Harbour Village.
On Tuesday, April 4, 2017, the Bal Harbour Police Department initiated a criminal
investigation into the theft of two vehicles and a vehicle burglary inside the residential
community.
The following is a brief synopsis of the sequence of events regarding the vehicle thefts,
criminal investigation, apprehension, and subsequent arrest:
Incident 1
At approximately 4:20 A.M., a resident at 90 Park Drive contacted Bal Harbour Police
regarding the theft of his vehicle. Bal Harbour officers arrived and spoke with the resident
confirming that unknown persons removed the resident's 2015 silver BMW convertible
from his assigned parking space. Additionally, the resident stated that at approximately
2:40 A.M. he had received an alert from American Express Credit Card Fraud department
notifying him of possible fraudulent activity with his credit card at a gas station located in
the City of Lauderhill, Florida.
The detectives secured transponder records which indicated that the vehicle had exited
the Collins Avenue gate at approximately 11:50 P.M. They were also able to capture video
at the gas station which depicted suspects making a purchase with the victim's credit card.
The detectives contacted BMW and requested BMW to activate the GPS tracking device
on the vehicle. Moments later, they provided the location of the vehicle. At approximately
12:35 P.M., Bal Harbour Detectives along with undercover officers from the Hollywood
Police Department located the BMW in the city of Hollywood. In an effort to apprehend the
suspect, detectives from Bal Harbour and Hollywood PD coordinated a joint surveillance
operation and discreetly observed the vehicle. The suspect eventually returned to the
vehicle and attempted to elude capture by fleeing from the detectives. The suspect was
subsequently taken into custody and transported to the Hollywood Police station for
questioning. Once at the police station the suspect invoked his right to counsel and
LTC 067-2017: Bal Harbour Police Department - Auto Thefts Investigation
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refused to speak with investigators. The suspect was arrested and charged with Felony
Grand Theft Auto and multiple misdemeanor and traffic related offenses. It should be
noted that the suspect was in possession of the victim's wallet when he was taken into
custody.
Incident 2
At approximately 6:50 A.M., the resident at 114 Park Drive contacted the Bal Harbour
Police Department regarding the theft of his vehicle. Bal Harbour officers arrived and
confirmed someone entered the resident's driveway and removed his Volkswagen Jetta.
Additionally, the victim's black Cadillac also parked at the residence was burglarized and
the suspects removed a black briefcase containing two iPads from the rear seat. The Bal
Harbour Police Crime Scene unit processed the vehicle for fingerprints and several latent
fingerprints of value were retrieved and will be processed for comparison.
The Bal Harbour Police detectives arrived and commenced a criminal investigation. Based
on the similarities in the incidents, the detectives suspect the same culprits may be
responsible for both vehicle thefts and auto burglary. Transponder information depicted
the white Jetta exiting through the 96 Street gate at approximately 11:50 P.M. Through
the course of the investigation, Bal Harbour Police detectives determined the Jetta was
equipped with a tracking device and contacted the automaker to provide a location of the
vehicle. After a brief inquiry, Volkswagen was able to locate the Jetta in the City of Fort
Lauderdale. Bal Harbour Police detectives responded and located the vehicle abandoned
in a high crime area known to local law enforcement for its criminal activities. The
detectives recovered the Jetta and the Fort Lauderdale Police Department processed the
car for fingerprints and any items of evidentiary value. The Jetta was recovered and towed
from the scene. The detectives will continue their investigation in an attempt to identify
and arrest other persons responsible for the crimes.
JMG/MdIR