Young Suspected Car Burglar Police Call "Hopper" Arrested
CORAL GABLES (CBSMiami) – Coral Gables Police have arrested a 14-year-old "hopper" suspected of burglarizing a car, and police believe he and his friends, ages 12 and 14, may be involved in half a dozen other car crimes in recent weeks.
What concerned police more than anything was surveillance video from Key Biscayne that showed a kid brandishing a weapon as he and his what appear to be young friends were allegedly looking for cars to hit.
One of the suspected burglars was arrested early morning Tuesday, but police are still looking for the other young men that ran away on foot..
Police believe the suspect, along with two young friends between the ages of 12 and 14, were captured on surveillance burglarizing cars on Key Biscayne before heading to Coral Gables in a car they allegedly stole from the Key. The car was spotted by a patrol officer.
Police have charged the 14-year-old with burglarizing a Cadillac that was left unlocked in the 1200 block of Medina Avenue in Coral Gables.
"They didn't get anything out of the car," said Al Caputo. "I gave my wife a hard time because she didn't have the car locked, but I give credit to the Coral Gables Police."
The 14-year-old is being held in juvenile detention.
