MIAMI – Two men are accused of burglarizing a property and loading furniture and other items they stole onto a boat, before speeding away from officers, police said Wednesday.
When an investigator with the Miami Police Department learned of the possible burglary in progress, the officer went to the area of 620 NE 78 Street and spotted the men in question, according to a news release.
The suspects -- now identified as Jorge Luis Gutierrez, 27, and Alain Luis Casademunt, 40 -- were in the back of the property, placing items onto a vessel docked in the waterway, police said.
A responding officer requested backup to help arrest the pair.
Gutierrez and Casademunt then noticed the officer, got in the boat and took off, heading east in the water through the canal, police said.
The officer told authorities en route which way the men were headed, and officials found the boat a short time later, docked in the back of 840 NE 78 Street.
Police caught up with Gutierrez near NE 7 Avenue and 74th Street and found Casademunt in the area of NE 4 and 72nd Street.
Casademunt had burglary tools visible in his pants pocket, and Gutierrez voluntarily told police that he was on the boat speeding away from officers trying to detain him, investigators said in the arrest affidavit.
The boat was impounded and both suspects were arrested on several burglary-related charges.
They’re expected in court next week.