Suspected Gang Member Charged In Burglary
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FT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) - A burglary victim recalled the terrifying moment Memorial Day morning when a burglar broke down her front door in Pembroke Pines.
Iviangely Ipanaque's 8-year old daughter hid under her bed and Iviangely saw the stranger at her bedroom door.
"My little girl told me someone was knocking at the door and said oh my God," said Iviangely. "I remember that face"
On Tuesday, the alleged perpetrator, Leon Crawford, 18, a suspected member of a gang, appeared before a judge.
"He's suspected of being part of a gang burglarizing hundreds of homes in the tri-county area," said the judge in court.
Crawford was arrested in Lauderhill for the burglary in Pembroke Pines on May 25th.
The Broward Sheriff's Office said Crawford tried to elude deputies by jumping into a canal to no avail.
"We were able to jump into the lake and pull Mr. Crawford out because he couldn't swim and recovered a gun," said Broward Sheriff's Detective Javier Duran.
Crawford is a known member of the YNIB gang, according to Broward Sheriff's detectives. Earlier this year ten members were charged in a number of burglaries in the tri-county area.
"They'll go, do surveillance, park a car, they'll be brazen enough to park right in the driveway," said sheriff's spokeswoman Val Devlin.
Crawford faces a number of charges including possession of a weapon by a gang member, possession of a weapon on school property, possession of marijuana, resisting arrest and burglary of an occupied dwelling. Bond was set at $150,000.
According to sheriff's records, Crawford has 16 prior arrests dating back to when he was 13-years old.
Meantime, Iviangely said she is relieved but they are haunted by the break in.
"She is very scared and so am I ... I'm always looking out the window," said Iviangely.
