$5,000 lion statues stolen from outside Miami-Dade County home

Surveillance video captures 2 men stealing statues early Tuesday

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. ā€“ Surveillance video captured two men stealing two large lion statues this week that were placed outside a home in Miami-Dade County.

The theft happened about 12:45 a.m. Tuesday at a home in the 8600 block of Southwest 58th Street.

Homeowner Juan Carrera said the statues are worth $5,000 each.

"I was really in shock," Carrera told Local 10 News reporter Liane Morejon. "I thought it was possibly someone who had observed the house or maybe somebody spoke to somebody that had been around my house."

Carrera said he and three other people were sleeping inside his home when the theft occurred.

"Usually, we'll hear the dog bark if something is amiss, but we didn't hear the dog bark at all," he said.

Surveillance video shows two men open the gate just far enough to walk through before they run to the heavy statue by the door. After stealing it, they came back for a second lion statue.

It took only about three minutes for the thieves to finish the job.

"It looks like they knew exactly what they were doing and where they were going," Carrera said.

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What makes Carrera most uneasy is that one of the men was clutching his waistband. The former prosecutor believes the thief was carrying a gun.

"I'm more concerned about the fact that I could've walked outside and the guy with the white T-shirt had a weapon," he said.

Carrera hopes someone will recognize the thieves in the clear surveillance images.

"Anybody who knows those two will know who they are," he said.

Anyone with information about the identities of the thieves is asked to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.


About the Authors:

Liane Morejon is an Emmy-winning reporter who joined the Local 10 News family in January 2010. Born and raised in Coral Gables, Liane has a unique perspective on covering news in her own backyard.

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.