Thieves target Toyotas for wheels, tires in northwest Miami-Dade complex

Property manager says there are no funds to tighten security

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. ā€“ A woman in northwest Miami-Dade was outraged when she woke up Tuesday to find her Toyota Corolla sitting on its rotors and a single block with its wheels and tires gone.

"This kind of thing makes me nervous,"Ā Jenny Pulido said. "I just saw my car like this and I was like, 'Oh my God. What happened here?'"

Pulido was just one of two owners who fell victim to the crooks overnight. Not far from where she parked, the other Toyota was left sitting on the pavement.

"I saw the other car -- the same brand -- a Toyota Corolla, and I just called the police,"Ā Pulido said.Ā 

The thefts occurred inside the Mirassou condominium complex in the 6000 block of Northwest 186th Street.

Miami-Dade police responded to the scene to find the disabled vehicles, but no sign of the thieves. Ā 

When Local 10 News reporter Roy Ramos spoke with residents, he learned this is not the first time they have fallen victim to crimes in the community. Ā 

A property manager said they have yet to make the necessary changes to security due to a lack of finances. Ā 

They said their priority and focus is repairing the roofs on several buildings. Ā 

In the meantime, Pulido said she'll have to see if her insurance will cover the cost of new wheels andĀ tires. Ā 

Her message to the crooks that remain on the loose:

"Don't do that. Go to work and find your own things,"Ā she said.Ā 

Police said they are working to find out why thieves are targeting the specific model of car. They said in the meantime, residents can protect themselves by installing wheel locks instead of ordinary lug nuts.


About the Author:

Roy Ramos joined the Local 10 News team in 2018. Roy is a South Florida native who grew up in Florida City. He attended Christopher Columbus High School,Ā Homestead Senior HighĀ School and graduated from St. Thomas University.