Burglar Busted Thanks To Crystal Clear Video
SOUTH MIAMI(CBS4)---Detectives say a 23-year-old Southwest Miami-Dade man has been caught on surveillance camera cheating children, taking two boxes of supplies that were left at a home for a youngster's birthday party.
And those detectives are astounded by what this burglar did. They say he used a truck from his awning business to commit the crime. And that lead them to their suspect because his truck had identification on it.
"He has his own truck that identified him and the company that he worked for. It had everything including the name and phone number in large letters," said South Miami Police Major Rene Landa.
Landa told CBS4's Peter D'Oench that Carlos Chaviano Gutierrez was arrested Monday for the crime that happened on the afternoon of June 27th at a home in the 5800 block of Twin Lake Drive. Gutierrez was charged with burglary and petit theft.
"It all started when he was following a UPS truck driver," said Landa. "He observed the truck driver leaving packages in front of the home and so he turned around and came back. We've had this happen in South Miami before. This was the second one in the last two years."
"We have been hearing this happening more and more, with people following UPS trucks and watching as deliveries are made. Then they return and steal the packages," said Landa.
"This is what we tell people," said Landa. "We want them to be careful and have a quality surveillance system that gives us quality videotape as well."
He said this case was a good example of how surveillance systems can help police.
In bond court, it was revealed that Gutierrez had been arrested before, for fleeing and eluding police.
Through a translator, he told a Judge that he earned $300 to $500 a week working for his company, which Landa said was named "Awnings." He said he had only been working for the company for a week. He told the Judge that
He had been living in South Florida for the past 10 years.
The judge ordered that he remain under house arrest and was only able to leave his home in Southwest Miami-Dade under special circumstances, such as going to work. He was also ordered to have no contact with the victim.
Peter Cabanzon, who has lived near the victim's home on Twin Lake Drive for 15 years, told D'Oench, "People are desperate. These are hard economic times and people will go to any length to make buck. I think there's a lot of people out there today who are young and not experienced. They think they can do anything. They are not aware that people have cameras."
Cabanzon said, "I am concerned that if this goes on this could escalate. All the neighbors should be aware. Be very careful. Watch out for any vehicles in the neighborhood that seem out of the ordinary."
