NORTH MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – A business owner slept inside her lounge and helped North Miami Beach police catch two burglary suspects.
Police arrested John Hatfield, 22, and Nelson Nieves, 33, on March 5. Both men were charged with burglary to a structure.
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An officer was patrolling her assigned business district when dispatchers received a call about a burglary at Spinnakers Lounge, located at 18145 NE 19th Avenue, police say. The owner told dispatchers someone was trying to break into her lounge.
The owner hid in a storage closet and asked dispatch to rush the officers, police say. As an officer approached the business, she saw two men wearing hooded sweatshirts exiting the front door. One was carrying a crowbar.
More officers arrived and apprehended Hatfield and Nieves. The owner recognized them as previous customers to the bar, police say.
The owner told police she slept inside the business after it was burglarized in hopes of catching any new burglary suspects.