Christopher Caceres, 22 years old, and a minor of 16 whose identity has not been disclosed were arrested on Wednesday after a wave of vehicle thefts impacted more than 15 cars in Miami Springs and Hialeah, authorities reported.
According to reports from Telemundo 51, it all began around 1:00 a.m. on Wednesday when the two suspects crossed from Hialeah to Miami Springs via a pedestrian walkway located near North Royal Poinciana Boulevard.
One early morning of 'car hopping' through several streets
Once inside the neighborhood, the two individuals traveled through several streets —including Swallow Drive, Raven Avenue, Plover, Quail, and Albatross— in what authorities describe as car hopping: a criminal method in which thieves force multiple vehicles in succession during the early morning hours.
Among the affected cars was one without markings from the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office, whose rear window was broken, and a black backpack containing a detective's belongings was stolen.
The suspects also took a Jeep and a Honda Accord, in addition to at least one firearm.
A stolen credit card was used shortly afterward at a Tom Thumb gas station, allowing investigators to identify them through surveillance cameras that recorded them fueling the stolen Jeep.
Detained in less than 16 hours
According to Local 10, detectives located both vehicles in western Hialeah and maintained surveillance for over four hours until they saw the suspects get into the Jeep.
With support from the K-9 Unit of the Hialeah Police and the Criminal Interdiction Unit of the Florida Highway Patrol, the officers conducted a traffic stop and detained both individuals around 3:00 p.m., less than 16 hours after the start of the thefts.
The two stolen vehicles were recovered and returned to their owners.
Six firearms recovered from a residence in Hialeah
After interviewing the detainees, the detectives headed to the residence of one of the suspects in Hialeah, where they found six firearms: the pistol stolen in Miami Springs and five others linked to a different burglary that also took place in Hialeah.
Caceres admitted to having participated in the robberies in both cities, estimated that they forced open around 15 vehicles, and noted that they were specifically looking for cars in which they believed there was money or weapons.
He also acknowledged that he acted under the influence of "bars," the street name for Xanax.
Caceres faces 19 charges
According to WSVN, at the bail hearing on Thursday, a judge found probable cause and ordered that Caceres be held without bail on several charges of armed burglary.
In total, the young man faces 19 charges that include burglary, property damage, petty theft, and grand theft. The charges against the minor have not been made public.
A victim who lost five weapons stored in their car admitted to CBS Miami that it was not the wisest decision, but added: "In this neighborhood, thefts are not common."
Another affected neighbor was more understanding: “I still feel safe here. They are young, and it's a shame because their lives are ruined.”
Police urge residents to secure vehicles and weapons
The Miami Springs Police publicly thanked the participating agencies for their collaboration and issued a call to the community:
"We remind our residents to make locking their vehicles part of their nightly routine, never leave valuables unattended, and always properly secure firearms."
This type of incident is not new in South Florida: earlier this year, two men from Hialeah were arrested for stealing luxury cars in Miami Beach.
In August, a 19-year-old faced dozens of charges for leading airbag thefts in Honda vehicles in Hialeah, resulting in losses exceeding $102,500.
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