'Barefoot burglar' tries to escape through ceiling of interview room, police say

John Carlos Cairo, 19, faces escape charge

MIAMI – A man known as the "barefoot burglar" suspect is facing a new charge after he tried to escape through a ceiling in the Miami Beach Police Department, police said.

John Carlos Cairo, 19, appeared before a judge Friday and had his bond set at $68,000.

Cairo was arrested on multiple burglary charges, but he now faces a charge of escape.

According to a Miami Beach police report, Cairo was locked inside an interview room at the police station when he put a chair in the middle of the room, removed a ceiling tile and tried to pull himself up through the crawl space. Detectives entered the room and placed him in handcuffs before he could escape.

The report said Cairo was removed from the room and placed in a holding cell, where he began kicking the door and "acting irrational."

Cairo got his nickname because he is believed to remove his shoes while he burglarizes homes.

"He apparently has no shame in this," Officer Ernesto Rodriguez told Local 10 News. "He ... gave himself the title of 'barefoot burglar' and advised us that he would be receiving media attention."


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.

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