Century Village resident chases after burglary suspect he caught inside home

Police say Sergio Ramirez-Rodriguez suspected in several burglaries

PEMBROKE PINES, Fla. – A Century Village man in his underwear chased after one of three burglary suspects he caught at his home, police said.

Pembroke Pines police Capt. Al Xiques said resident Ernesto Grimaldi saw a man, later identified as Sergio Ramirez-Rodriguez, inside his home Wednesday night. Xiques said that, upon seeing Grimaldi, Ramirez-Rodriguez ran out of the home, but the resident chased after him.

"(Grimaldi) said that after chasing him for quite some time, (Ramirez-Rodriguez) apparently became tired and that he tried to bribe him with some cash to let him go," a police officer said while translating for Grimaldi during a news conference Thursday afternoon.

Xiques said Grimaldi, 59, pursued Ramirez-Rodriguez as he ran across a golf course, following him until the suspect escaped Century Village through a hole in the fence.

Grimaldi told police he watched Ramirez-Rodriguez get away in a waiting green minivan, which was stopped a short time later.

Bennett Bowen and Heriberto Ramos, who were also in the minivan, were arrested on loitering or prowling charges.

Xiques said Ramirez-Rodriguez is believed to have been responsible for several other burglaries at Century Village. He said Ramirez-Rodriguez is a serial burglar who has been arrested on numerous burglary charges since 1986.