Police: Pair Made Waves With Personal Watercraft Thefts
CORAL GABLES - (CBS4) - A turbulent crime trend has surfaced along the waterways of Coral Gables and Friday the city's police department announced arrests against those believed to have been stealing personal watercrafts from the Gables Waterway.
The Coral Gables Police Department said they had arrested two men, including 24-year-old Alberto J. Garcia and 25-year-old Sergio A. Aguirre for their alleged roles in stealing personal watercrafts.
Jerome Berrebi said his watercraft was stolen two weeks ago.
"It kind of worries me that anybody can come and just steal my property but what can I do," he said. "I'll protect it more next time."
Police said the Department Marine Patrol Unit saw two men placing a personal watercraft on a boat ramp on Riviera Drive and Ponce De Leon Boulevard at 2:30 a.m. Wednesday. They rode through the Gables Waterway and the Gables Estates channel. The pair returned to the area of Casurina Concourse and rode on two additional personal watercrafts.
Police launched the investigation following complaints from residents about watercraft thefts. Police say further evidence links them to the crime. While under surveillance, police say, Garcia and Aguirre removed the hull identification number plates from the watercrafts.
They stopped the pair during a traffic stop and determined the personal watercrafts were stolen. Records show Aguirre was arrested in 2004 for stealing headlights.
Anyone with additional information about the case is asked to contact Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS (8477).
(©2011 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
