Residents alarmed by spike in mail, car thefts caught on video in Miami-Dade neighborhood of Westchester
A growing number of Westchester residents said their neighborhood is being targeted by thieves, with surveillance footage capturing mail thefts and car break-ins over the past two months.
In February, several homeowners contacted CBS News Miami with videos of suspects breaking into cars. Now, new footage from March shows thieves stealing mail and even driving off with a resident's truck.
Mailboxes targeted in overnight thefts
On Wednesday morning, neighbors on a Westchester street woke up to find their mailboxes open and ransacked.
"It's a quiet neighborhood and the feeling of not being safe is uncomfortable," said resident Christina Espinel. "It's a new feeling."
Espinel's neighbor's Ring camera footage showed a man with a backpack checking one mailbox before moving on to the next.
Another video from January captured a different suspect pulling up to the same mailbox, reaching in and stealing mail.
"You're stealing someone's mail. It's a federal offense," Espinel said. "It starts like that and then who knows, you run into someone and nobody wants an uncomfortable situation."
Car thefts and break-ins on the rise
Less than a mile from Espinel's street, another homeowner shared Ring footage from March 19 showing a masked man opening the passenger door of his truck. Moments later, someone drove off with the vehicle.
The homeowner, who asked to remain anonymous, provided CBS News Miami with a copy of the police report he filed with the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office.
Meanwhile, additional videos from Westchester residents show multiple attempted car break-ins throughout February and March.
Espinel believes law enforcement needs to step up its response.
"I think there needs to be real attention paid to this issue, maybe even dedicating an officer to look into what's going on, not just in my neighborhood but across Westchester," she said.
The Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office has not responded to inquiries about additional complaints, an active investigation, or what could be done to help Westchester residents feel safer at night.
