Neighbors in Miami-Dade report 20 cars broken into or stolen overnight: "The airbags were pulled out of my car"

The Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office (MDSO) reported that 19 cars were broken into overnight, and one car was stolen in a northeast Miami-Dade neighborhood. Surveillance video shows the thieves, with faces covered, walking around the complexes on Northeast 191st St by 18th Ave.

Resident Jennifer Lopez discovered her car was one of the victims on Wednesday morning.

"I noticed that somebody broke in my car, and when I went to get in my car, the steering wheel, horn, and airbag were pulled out of my car," Lopez said.

After driving around, she and her boyfriend found that at least a dozen more cars had been targeted.

Lopez noted that the thieves appeared to have a specific goal, as they were "just the Hondas getting broken into, and the majority of the stuff missing was just the airbag". They notably left behind valuables, including a gun seen on a seat. Detectives informed Lopez that "this is something that they've been dealing with, of people stealing like the airbags out of the car, and that they're working on it".

Gelen Barrera, a board member of Building 4, said her building is looking into extra security measures. She mentioned that the police suggested getting a security guard, and they are considering closing the street with a fence, noting, "there is a lot of money" involved. Residents also said their buildings have been targeted repeatedly.

Another resident, Jesus Llerena, said he is taking matters into his own hands: "I got a gun in my house," adding, "I see somebody in my car, he got a big problem with me, big problem".

MDSO currently has no suspects, and the Auto Theft Squad has taken over the investigation.