Police: Coral Springs Mother Used Son In Burglaries
CORAL SPRINGS (CBS4) - A Coral Springs mother is wanted by police for breaking into a neighbor's home. But it's who was with her -- and, according to a neighbor, helping her carry out the crime -- that is raising eyebrows.
Coral Springs Police allege that a few weeks ago Jennifer Rodriguez and her young son -- possibly only 7 years old -- went into a neighbor's patio and started stealing stuff, like a bike, a smoker grill, power tools and fishing rods.
A man who witnessed the crime told police he saw Rodriguez walking with her son near the patio in the back of the Cedarbreeze Condominiums along Coral Springs Drive.
The witness said he heard the boy say to his mother, "Here the things are back here."
The witness said he then saw mother and son walking away from the patio with stolen items.
Steve Sarko, the victim of the crime, said he cannot believe a mother would do this with her son.
"How could you teach a kid something like that?" Sarko said.
Sarko said after the burglary police walked with him to Rodriguez's apartment. Police found his stuff, even his daughter's bicycle, but it had been spray painted and the tassels removed. He was able to recover almost all of the stolen items.
Sarko said a day or two after the burglary Rodriguez and her son showed up at his door. He said she was offering excuses.
"Oh, she thought the place was abandoned or something," he said. "This look abandoned here?"
Sarko said he feels badly for the boy but believes Rodriguez should be locked up.
"How could a normal person justify such a thing?" Sarko asked.
Police have been looking for Rodriguez but they have not been able to track her down. No one answered the door at her former apartment and a cell phone number for her is disconnected.
Police have recommended a charge of burglary against Rodriguez.
"It's very disturbing that someone would use a child to commit a crime," said Sgt. Dave Kirkland, Coral Springs Police Department Spokesman.
Kirkland said Rodriguez is wanted and police have turned the case over to the Broward State Attorney's Office to issue a warrant.
