Police said they have arrested three men and are searching for a fourth in connection to the theft of more than 200 pounds of mail from a community in Doral.
Surveillance video shows the four suspects, seen dressed in black hoodies, black pants and gloves, as they broke into dozens of mailboxes at Pinnacle at Park Central, an upscale community with lots of security.
The security footage shows the bandits shoving envelopes into garbage bags.
Doral Police Chief Edwin Lopez spoke to 7News about the theft on Wednesday.
“Those individuals stole confidential information from folks in this community,” he said. “It was just a few days before the end of tax season. These types of thefts are quite common, unfortunately.”
The police chef said the thieves were looking for people’s personal information, perhaps tax return checks.
“That’s their m.o,,” he said.
In this case, police said, they got a hold of a credit card.
Detectives said the subjects went to the Best Buy store ar Dadeland Station on U.S. 1 and went on a shopping spree. They said the thieves bought three PlayStation consoles, an iPad and a bottle of water.
“We were able to see the [closed circuit TV] and see the subjects on video,” said Lopez.
That’s where the thieves’ scheme fell apart. Detectives were able to capture the car they were riding in with license plate readers. That vehicle was later pulled over in Miami.
Police identified the three suspects who were taken into custody as 34-year-old Ivey Marquis Allen, 19-year-old Guston Malheur and 23-year-old Latron Steadman.
Investigators identified the suspect who remains on the run as 44-year-old Antwan McClain.
“We’re quite sure that he’s aware that we’re looking for him,” said Lopez.
Back at Pinnacle at Park Central, detectives interviewed residents, security staff and other people because, Lopez said, the crooks used stolen keys to gain access to the mail.
“They did utilize keys that are master keys, specifically designed for the Postal Service,” he said, “so we’re working with the postal police as well, to see how these individuals were able to obtain these keys.”
Police said it’s unclear where else these crooks used the master keys, so this crime may affect people beyond Doral.
“This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to these individuals,” said Lopez. “These folks had mail from other homes and residents throughout South Florida, so we’re still working actively.”
That means these suspects could face additional charges.
“We love being able to put some of these individuals behind bars. We have a zero tolerance for these types of crimes in our community,” said Lopez.
If you have any information on this theft or the whereabouts of Antwan McClain, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.