Neighborhood Safety Alert: Lock Your Car Doors

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Nessie

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Early this morning, between about 2:00 and 3:00 AM, a resident’s Ring camera on Stonehaven Road captured someone getting out of a car and walking down the street checking door handles on parked vehicles. This is a pattern police refer to as “car hopping,” and it’s shown up in a few other Miami-Dade neighborhoods recently, including a similar incident in Miami Springs just weeks ago where a firearm was stolen out of an unlocked car.

If You Have Camera Footage

If you have a Ring, Nest, or other home security camera and think you may have caught anything between 2:00 and 3:00 AM on August 20, anywhere in Loch Ness, please take a look. Even footage that doesn’t seem important, like a car driving by or someone walking through, can help investigators piece together where this person went.

  • Non-emergency police (MDSO Northwest District, covers Miami Lakes): (305) 476-5423 or (305) 827-4020
  • Anonymous tips: Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers, (305) 471-TIPS (8477)
  • If something is happening right now: call 911 first

Protecting Your Vehicle

The single biggest factor in car break-ins like this one is an unlocked door. Local police departments across South Florida, including Miami-Dade PD, have been consistent on this after similar incidents nearby. A few reminders:

  • Lock your car every time, even in your own driveway or garage
  • Take your keys and key fob with you. Don’t leave a spare in the car
  • Keep valuables out of sight. Phones, bags, chargers, and cash left in plain view are the most common targets
  • Never leave a firearm in an unattended vehicle, even if it’s locked. Several recent local cases involved a gun taken from an unlocked car
  • Park in well-lit areas when you have the option
  • Consider the Ring Neighbors app if you have a Ring camera. It makes it much faster for police to pull footage from a whole street when something like this happens

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